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Amsterdam and West End avenues； are over four thousand human
creatures；quite a comfortable New England village to crowd into one
city block。
The Rev。 Dr。 Behrends； speaking of the block bounded by Canal；
Hester； Eldridge； and Forsyth streets； says： 〃In a room 12 by 8 and 5。5 feet
high； it was found that nine persons slept and prepared their food。 。 。 。 In
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another room； located in a dark cellar； without screens or partitions； were
together two men with their wives and a girl of fourteen； two single men
and a boy of seventeen； two women and four boys；nine； ten； eleven； and
fifteen years old；fourteen persons in all。〃
Here humanity rots。 Its victims； with grim humor； call it 〃tenant… house
rot。〃 Or； as a legislative report puts it： 〃Here infantile life unfolds its bud；
but perishes before its first anniversary。 Here youth is ugly with loathsome
disease； and the deformities which follow physical degeneration。〃
These are the men and women who are what they are because they
were not better born； or because they happened to be unluckily born in
time and space。 Gauged by the needs of the system； they are weak and
worthless。 The hospital and the pauper's grave await them； and they offer
no encouragement to the mediocre worker who has failed higher up in the
industrial structure。 Such a worker； conscious that he has failed； conscious
from the hard fact that he cannot obtain work in the higher employments；
finds several courses open to him。 He may come down and be a beast in
the social pit； for instance； but if he be of a certain caliber； the effect of the
social pit will be to discourage him from work。 In his blood a rebellion
will quicken； and he will elect to become either a felon or a tramp。
If he have fought the hard fight he is not unacquainted with the lure of
the 〃road。〃 When out of work and still undiscouraged； he has been forced
to 〃hit the road〃 between large cities in his quest for a job。 He has loafed；
seen the country and green things； laughed in joy； lain on his back and
listened to the birds singing overhead； unannoyed by factory whistles and
bosses' harsh commands； and； most significant of all； HE HAS LIVED！
That is the point！ He has not starved to death。 Not only has he been care…
free and happy； but he has lived！ And from the knowledge that he has
idled and is still alive； he achieves a new outlook on life； and the more he
experiences the unenviable lot of the poor worker； the more the
blandishments of the 〃road〃 take hold of him。 And finally he flings his
challenge in the face of society； imposes a valorous boycott on all work；
and joins the far…wanderers of Hoboland； the gypsy folk of this latter day。
But the tramp does not usually come from the slums。 His place of birth
is ordinarily a bit above； and sometimes a very great bit above。 A
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War of the Classes
confessed failure； he yet refuses to accept the punishment； and swerves
aside from the slum to vagabondage。 The average beast in the social pit is
either too much of a beast； or too much of a slave to the bourgeois ethics
and ideals of his masters； to manifest this flicker of rebellion。 But the
social pit； out of its discouragement and viciousness； breeds criminals；
men who prefer being beasts of prey to being beasts of work。 And the
mediocre criminal； in turn； the unfit and inefficient criminal； is
discouraged by the strong arm of the law and goes over to trampdom。
These men； the discouraged worker and the discouraged criminal；
voluntarily withdraw themselves from the struggle for work。 Industry does
not need them。 There are no factories shut down through lack of labor； no
projected railroads unbuilt for want of pick…and…shovel men。 Women are
still glad to toil for a dollar a week； and men and boys to clamor and fight
for work at the factory gates。 No one misses these discouraged men； and in
going away they have made it somewhat easier for those that remain。
So the case stands thus： There being more men than there is work for
men to do； a surplus labor army inevitably results。 The surplus labor army
is an economic necessity； without it； present society would fall to pieces。
Into the surplus labor army are herded the mediocre； the inefficient； the
unfit； and those incapable of satisfying the industrial needs of the system。
The struggle for work between the members of the surplus labor army is
sordid and savage； and at the bottom of the social pit the struggle is
vicious and beastly。 This struggle tends to discouragement； and the victims
of this discouragement are the criminal and the tramp。 The tramp is not an
economic necessity such as the surplus labor army； but he is the by…
product of an economic necessity。
The 〃road〃 is one of the safety…valves through which the waste of the
social organism is given off。 And BEING GIVEN OFF constitutes the
negative function of the tramp。 Society； as at present organized； makes
much waste of human life。 This waste must be eliminated。 Chloroform or
electrocution would be a simple； merciful solution of this problem of
elimination； but the ruling ethics； while permitting the human waste； will
not permit a humane elimination of that waste。 This paradox demonstrates
the irreconcilability of theoretical ethics and industrial need。
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And so the tramp becomes self…eliminating。 And not only self！ Since
he is manifestly unfit for things as they are； and since kind is prone to
beget kind； it is necessary that his kind cease with him； that his progeny
shall not be； that he play the eunuch's part in this twentieth century after
Christ。 And he plays it。 He does not breed。 Sterility is his portion； as it is
the portion of the woman on the street。 They might have been mates； but
society has decreed otherwise。
And； while it is not nice that these men should die； it is ordained that
they must die； and we should not quarrel with them if they cumber ou