DRASTIC WAY WITH IDLERS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14993, 13 June 1914, Page 8

DRASTIC WAY WITH IDLERS.

HOW GER3IAX STATES DEAL WITH LOAFFRS.

COMPELLED TO WORK FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

(FBOSI _ CORRESPONDENT.) BERLIN, May 5. Prussia's system of State slavery \for idlers has brought her into conilict with mild Bayaria. Prussia compels her idlers to work; but Bavaria does not. If a Prussian citizen refuses to earn his living, or spends his earniu_s on drink and neglects his family, he may be turned into a State-owned slave, quite as in ancient Athens He may be seized by tho local police, and without any trial sent to a camr.ui&ory labour home, where he must slave-ior years for the benefit of the State. This is under a law which passed only two years ago. The law violates Prussia's Constitution, and it vioi.ites also tho conscience of mild Bavaria. i>o when last Christmas- two Prussian idler-slaves escaped from a labour Home at l''uida across the Prussian-Bavarian frontier, tho Bavarian Government refused to extradite them. Bavaria's Premier, Baron yon llertiing, stood firm. Prussia's severe .Minister of tne Interior, Herr yon Dadwitz, stood equally firm. The quarrel ended couiicaiiy. The fugitive slaves, lejoiced to una themselves in a free cou.ury with excellent beer, got gloriI custy drunk, \vhen sober, they apI plied to the local Bavarian authorities [ ior support and reiiei, and got both. I The good news spread. Within a month I five other escaped Pmssian idler-siaves | crossed the hospitable frontier, drank i like Berserkers, aud applied for relief I and support. That was too much. j i'reedom-loving Bavaria kept to her j resolution not to extradite them, but i sho resolved to expel them. They were put across Prussia's frontier, where they were promptly seized by Prussian policemen, and brought- back to their slave plantations. State slavery for idlers flourishes not only in Prussia. It is aa old institution in Saxony, Wiirttcmberg, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Anhalt, and "the free Republic of Hamburg. All these countries havo Con.stien'i.ns which proclaim that no man may be imprisoned without' trial, but they all have laws which enact the contrary, and there is no Supremo Court to condemn the laws as unconstitutional. The laws proclaim that idiers may be turned into State compulsory workers without any trial, on tho mero command of the police or sorno other local authority. Though this is pure slavery, no effective protest'is raised, and the system would be established to-morrow as law for the wholo Empire wero it not for certain technical obstacles which arise from tho confusion of the administrative systems in the different States. Prussia, Saxony, and the other States maintain numerous labour homos or colonies, which, in effect, are nothing but slave plantations. These are mostly situated in remote districts, often on barren* land which demands reclamation. The men work under guard in the open country, out the houses in which they sleep are surrounded by high fences, and are guarded by police. ' The idlers wear no prison uniform, but that does not make escape easy. The police demand identification papers from all unknown men; and in case of doubt they hold suspects without fearing the consequences. Under this system about 40,000 idlers who have never been tried for any offence are held under administrative decree in the different labour homes o" seven different States.; ._ Prussia's excuse for such severe laws is that she is more plagued with idlers, tramps, and vagabonds than other countries. This is true, though foreigners do not suspect it. Dr. Hans Ostwald, of Berlin, an expert on-this 'problem, estimates that Prussia has | 100,000 tramps; and the Minister of the Interior says-that since 1902 the ! number of families deserted-by husband I and father has increased by 3-1 per cent. For this reason Prussian legislators decided that it was necessary to lock Up habitual idlers #nd compel them to work. The trouble was to find a satisfactory definition of an habitual idler. Therefore when Pru_ta set about drafting her law, she turned to .the smaller States which already had a State slavery system. It was resolved that only men who are bodily and mentally fit for work should be classed as idlers; but that in this category come men who, by drink or other excesses, culpably unfit themselves for work. The idleness must bo of a kind which burdens tho public. The definition of a habitual idler is a man who refuses to support himself, his wife, children, and other dependents. The law lays down that _o urban and rural committees test each case. The poor law authority which supports the idler's family reports the case; and the committee takes action, and orders the offender's arrest. . Tho offender is committed to a labour home; there to be kept until reformation or for an indefinite period, spending his time in working for the benefit of his country. Prussia and the other States which punish idleness with slavery boldly transgresses the principles of personal freedom. The accused idler has practically no protection. In sorno cases the police themselves do the imprisoning; in other cases the police evidence as to the men's character decides the result. Only i n Hamburg must one member of the committee which investigates -an idler's case havo magisterial qualifications. Also a Hamburg citizen ma y n , ot , bo turned into a State slave until ho has first had a chance to repent, and until other resources lave been exhausted. The authorities s list first sue him for neglecting his fam Iy; next they must send him to a labour exchange which will offer him work, cl i 'J 11 *- , fai l s the ? m,,st him several days' warning of his fate if he remains obdurate. Should he Wore tho warning he is remiested to enter a labour homo voluntarily and only if he fails to do •I v c P° ,ico arreet bim. in Anhalt the idler must be warned twice hefore ho can bo sent to a home Saxony's law i s severest. The admiSt trative authorities or tbe police can seize an idler, and imprison him as a slave for an indefinite period. He can apneal to the so-called "control autho nties." which ore a branch of the ad ministration, but no court, wil] hear his case or relent him. -Tbe- Savon law.allows, the nopeine of men who continue to idle after they havo been put in the home. Some men have been m Saxon labour homes for twenty years and more. Everywhere the idlers get longish periods. In Oldenburg the minimum term for which au idler may be committed is fal years. A man who is brought back after release gets a minimum of three years. The Prussian law requires that each idler's case shall be periodically reconsidered at least once a year y State slaves are well fed " _,„n clotlied, and, as a rule, well treatf*? The value of their work i_ al*,«_!* them. This value is low, because flare put to do work which could remuneratively be done by f re - t«*J_T■ They earn from 2s to _/_!d_, **"; very much below the' eantings/ls th« average German unskilled and they have no days of i_emplovm«r7t From their earnings the deducts the bare cost of their food* and clothes, and pays the balance to their families, or to the poor kvw which supports the families. WhS they leave the home, reformed, they get a lump sum, a, job, and other help. Most of thorn- com. back. That

is Saxony's experience. 'Prussia's experiment has been too short for judgment.

r.xperis, who otherwise quarrel as to tho merits of the State slavery system, agree about this. The system is worthless from the standpoint of the reformation of idlers and drunkards;

but it is successful, because it compels idlers to support their families as long

as they are in the homes, and it.rej lieves the State of a burden, and gives jit valuable consideration, in tho snape of reclaimed land and other useful I works. Only about thirteen per cent. |of the habitual idlers have been reformed by a term of slavery to the ! State. Many are temporarily re- { formed. After -a couple of years*' hard j labour under a stern overseer's eye, they get to loathe servitude. They make sincero vows to lead an indusI trious life. On this they are roj leased. Freedom and drink make them soon forget their good resolutions, and within a few weeks or months they aro again State slaves. Of fifty men released from an Anhalt labour home, thirty-two wero sent back within six months. All of them had worked well while in the home. Experts say that such men. by weakness of will, aro incapable of voluntary work. They make good workers, as horses do,, while under control. Hamburg is tho only State where temporary slavery has reformed many idlers. This is put down to tho mildness of the Hamburg system, and to the efforts made .to bring moral pressure on the men. j