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The City of Dreadful Monotony； the East End is often called；
especially by well…fed； optimistic sightseers； who look over the surface of
things and are merely shocked by the intolerable sameness and meanness
of it all。 If the East End is worthy of no worse title than The City of
Dreadful Monotony； and if working people are unworthy of variety and
beauty and surprise； it would not be such a bad place in which to live。
But the East End does merit a worse title。 It should be called The City of
Degradation。
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While it is not a city of slums； as some people imagine； it may well be
said to be one gigantic slum。 From the standpoint of simple decency and
clean manhood and womanhood； any mean street； of all its mean streets； is
a slum。 Where sights and sounds abound which neither you nor I would
care to have our children see and hear is a place where no man's children
should live； and see； and hear。 Where you and I would not care to have
our wives pass their lives is a place where no other man's wife should have
to pass her life。 For here； in the East End； the obscenities and brute
vulgarities of life are rampant。 There is no privacy。 The bad corrupts
the good； and all fester together。 Innocent childhood is sweet and
beautiful： but in East London innocence is a fleeting thing； and you must
catch them before they crawl out of the cradle； or you will find the very
babes as unholily wise as you。
The application of the Golden Rule determines that East London is an
unfit place in which to live。 Where you would not have your own babe
live； and develop； and gather to itself knowledge of life and the things of
life； is not a fit place for the babes of other men to live； and develop； and
gather to themselves knowledge of life and the things of life。 It is a
simple thing； this Golden Rule； and all that is required。 Political
economy and the survival of the fittest can go hang if they say otherwise。
What is not good enough for you is not good enough for other men； and
there's no more to be said。
There are 300；000 people in London； divided into families； that live in
one…room tenements。 Far； far more live in two and three rooms and are
as badly crowded； regardless of sex； as those that live in one room。 The
law demands 400 cubic feet of space for each person。 In army barracks
each soldier is allowed 600 cubic feet。 Professor Huxley； at one time
himself a medical officer in East London； always held that each person
should have 800 cubic feet of space； and that it should be well ventilated
with pure air。 Yet in London there are 900；000 people living in less than
the 400 cubic feet prescribed by the law。
Mr。 Charles Booth； who engaged in a systematic work of years in
charting and classifying the toiling city population； estimates that there are
1；800；000 people in London who are POOR and VERY POOR。 It is of
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
interest to mark what he terms poor。 By POOR he means families which
have a total weekly income of from eighteen to twenty…one shillings。
The VERY POOR fall greatly below this standard。
The workers； as a class； are being more and more segregated by their
economic masters； and this process； with its jamming and overcrowding；
tends not so much toward immorality as unmorality。 Here is an extract
from a recent meeting of the London County Council； terse and bald； but
with a wealth of horror to be read between the lines：…
Mr。 Bruce asked the Chairman of the Public Health Committee
whether his attention had been called to a number of cases of serious
overcrowding in the East End。 In St。 Georges…in…the…East a man and his
wife and their family of eight occupied one small room。 This family
consisted of five daughters； aged twenty； seventeen； eight； four； and an
infant； and three sons； aged fifteen； thirteen； and twelve。 In Whitechapel
a man and his wife and their three daughters； aged sixteen； eight； and four；
and two sons； aged ten and twelve years； occupied a smaller room。 In
Bethnal Green a man and his wife； with four sons； aged twenty…three；
twenty…one； nineteen； and sixteen； and two daughters； aged fourteen and
seven； were also found in one room。 He asked whether it was not the
duty of the various local authorities to prevent such serious overcrowding。
But with 900；000 people actually living under illegal conditions； the
authorities have their hands full。 When the overcrowded folk are ejected
they stray off into some other hole； and； as they move their belongings by
night； on hand…barrows （one hand…barrow accommodating the entire
household goods and the sleeping children）； it is next to impossible to
keep track of them。 If the Public Health Act of 1891 were suddenly and
completely enforced； 900；000 people would receive notice to clear out of
their houses and go on to the streets； and 500；000 rooms would have to be
built before they were all legally housed again。
The mean streets merely look mean from the outside； but inside the
walls are to be found squalor； misery； and tragedy。 While the following
tragedy may be revolting to read； it must not be forgotten that the
existence of it is far more revolting。
In Devonshire Place； Lisson Grove； a short while back died an old
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woman of seventy…five years of age。 At the inquest the coroner's officer
stated that 〃all he found in the room was a lot of old rags covered with
vermin。 He had got himself smothered with the vermin。 The room was in
a shocking condition； and he had never seen anything like it。 Everything
was absolutely covered with vermin。〃
The doctor said： 〃He found deceased lying across the fender on her
back。 She had one garment and her stockings on。 The body was