Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1911 — EVERY MAN A HOBO [ARTICLE]

EVERY MAN A HOBO

Doubters Are Told to Visit Chicago Coffee Line. Malcolm McDowell Asks How Many People Have Bank Balance of $5 Left After Paying Their Just Debts. ' “ « ... *"■ Chicago.—How many men apparently prosperous, could stand a heavy loss and have money in the bank after settling all bills? Malcolm McDowell, Jr., in an address before the Haeckel Fellowship club said their bank balance probably would be less than Most men. in fact, are potential hobos, he claimed. He pointed out it was only a step from a comfortable apartment to his coffee line at Jefferson and West Madison streets. Mr. McDowell then defined such terms as “hobo,” “carry the banner,” “Hogan's flop,” and “the overcoatless brigade.” “When I speak of a hobo,” said Mr. McDowell, “I do not mean a tramp who will work and there are more of these in our midst than we realize. Chicago can’t decently take care of 480 of them. “Take the question home to yourself. They are men of our own class, many of them only temporarily unforI tunate and too proud to appeal for help. This is not a woman’s work; i It’s a man's work; and we must solve ; it sooner or later, and the sooner the better for us. “How many of you could stand a heavy loss? How many o* you have a bank balance of more than 5a when everything is settled? “We ride around in automobiles and make a big show and live up to our income. That is just what many of these men do. Can we blame them for doing something that we do ourselves? This question faces us and we must do something. “We meet and pass sentimental resolutions, and at the same time i some charitable organization says don’t pass out money indiscriminately. “I would rather give away ten quarters and be imposed upon nine times than to miss the last fellow that : needs the money. We must come i home to the cause if we expect any I good to result. What do our resolutions amount to? They are like a soft drink on a cold morning. “The coffee line is a place on the west side where hundreds of poor men are given good coffee every night. Go over there and watch the line file by from 9 o'clock at night until 1 o’clock in the morning. You may see some of your friends there. “I met a member of the Chicago Press club there. I aim met a man there who lives less than three blocks ifrom where I do. He had an 585 a month apartment. He lost his job and didn’t have any money laid up. Fortunately he had his rent paid two months In advance. .He came to me after the line filed past one morning and asked me for some rolls to take

home to his wife, who had not tasted food for two days. “These are your own people. Are you going to allow it to continue?” asked Mr. McDowell. of the men in that line ‘carry the banner’ until morning. You don’t know what that means. It means that people of your own class have no place to lie down and sleep and have to walk the streets. They don’t even have the price of a ‘flop’ at Hogan’s. Of course you know that ‘Hogan’s flop’ means so much space for sleeping on a bare floor. “This is an overcoatless brigade. I have seen few overcoats among them.”