in darkest england and the way out-第34章
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it is perfectly possible； and it frequently happens； that men actually die of starvation within a few doors of those who； if they had been informed of the actual condition of the sufferer that lay within earshot of their comfortable drawing…rooms； would have been eager to minister the needed relief。 What we have to do； therefore； is to grow a new nervous system for the body politic； to create a swift； almost automatic； means of communication between the community as a whole and the meanest of its members； so as to restore to the city what the village possesses。
I do not say that the plan which I have suggested is the only plan or the best plan conceivable。 All that I claim for it is that it is the only plan which I can conceive as practicable at the present moment； and that； as a matter of fact； it holds the field alone； for no one； so far as I have been able to discover； even proposes to reconstitute the connection between what I have called the gray matter of the brain of the municipal community and all the individual units which make up the body politic。
Carrying out the same idea I come to the problem of the waste commodities of the towns； and we will take this as an earnest of the working out of the general principle。 In the villages there is very little waste。 The sewage is applied directly to the land； and so becomes a source of wealth instead of being emptied into great subterranean reservoirs； to generate poisonous gases； which by a most ingenious arrangement； are then poured forth into the very heart of our dwellings； as is the case in the great cities。 Neither is there any waste of broken victuals。 The villager has his pig or his poultry； or if he has not a pig his neighbour has one； and the collection of broken victuals is conducted as regularly as the delivery of the post。 And as it is with broken victuals； so it is with rags and bones； and old iron； and all the debris of a household。 When I was a boy one of the most familiar figures in the streets of a country town was the man； who； with his small hand…barrow or donkey…cart； made a regular patrol through all the streets once a week； collecting rags； bones； and all other waste materials； buying the same from the juveniles who collected them in specie； not of Her Majesty's current coin； but of common sweetmeats； known as 〃claggum〃 or 〃taffy。〃 When the tootling of his familiar horn was heard the children would bring out their stores； and trade as best they could with the itinerant merchant； with the result that the closets which in our towns to…day have become the receptacles of all kinds of； disused lumber were kept then swept and garnished。 Now； what I want to know is why can we not establish on a scale commensurate with our extended needs the rag…and…bone industry in all our great towns？ That there is sufficient to pay for the collection is； I think； indisputable。 If it paid in a small North…country town or Midland village； why would it not pay much better in an area where the houses stand more closely together； and where luxurious living and thriftless habits have so increased that there must be proportionately far more breakage； more waste； and； therefore； more collectable matter than in the rural districts？ In looking over the waste of London it has occurred to me that in the debris of our households there is sufficient food； it utilised； to feed many of the starving poor； and to employ some thousands of them in its collection； and； in addition； largely to assist the general scheme。 What I propose would be to go to work on something like the following plan：…
London would be divided into districts； beginning with that portion of it most likely to furnish the largest supplies of what would be worth collection。 Two men； or a man and a boy； would be told of for this purpose to this district。
Households would be requested to allow a receptacle to be placed in some convenient spot in which the servants could deposit the waste food； and a sack of some description would also be supplied for the paper； rags； &c。
The whole would be collected； say once or twice a week； or more frequently； according to the season and circumstances； and transferred to depots as central as possible to the different districts。
At present much of this waste is thrown into the dust…bin； there to fester and breed disease。 Then there are old newspapers； ragged books； old bottles； tins； canisters； etc。 We all know what a number of articles there are which are not quite bad enough to be thrown into the dust heap； and yet are no good to us。 We put them on one side； hoping that something may turn up； and as that something very seldom does turn up； there they remain。
Crippled musical instruments； for instance； old toys； broken…down perambulators； old clothes； all the things； in short； for which we have no more need； and for which there is no market within our reach； but which we feel it would be a sin and a shame to destroy。
When I get my Household Salvage Brigade properly organised； beginning； as I said； in some district where we should be likely to meet with most material； our uniformed collectors would call every other day or twice a week with their hand barrow or pony cart。 As these men would be under strict discipline； and numbered； the householder would have a security against any abuse of which such regular callers might otherwise be the occasion。
At present the rag and bone man who drives a more or less precarious livelihood by intermittent visits； is looked upon askance by prudent housewives。 They fear in many cases he takes the refuse in order to have the opportunity of finding something which may be worth while 〃picking up；〃 and should he be impudent or negligent there is no authority to whom they can appeal。 Under our Brigade； each district would have its numbered officer； who would himself be subordinate to a superior officer； to whom any complaints could be made； and whose duty it would be to see that the officers under his command punctually performed their rounds and discharged their duties without offence。
Here let me disclaim any intention of interfering with the Little Sisters of the Poor； or any other persons； who collect the broken victuals of hotels and other establishments for charitable purposes。 My object is not to poach on my neighbour's domains； nor shall I ever be a party to any contentious quarrels for the control of this or that source of supply。 All that is already utilised I regard as outside my sphere。 The unoccupied wilderness of waste is a wide enough area for the operations of our Brigade。 But it will be found in practice that there are no competing agencies。 While the broken victuals of certain large hotels are regularly collected； the things before enumerated； and a number of others； are untouched because not sought after。
Of the immense extent to which Food is wasted few people have any notion except those who have made actual experiments。 Some years ago； Lady Wolseley established a system of collection from house to house in Mayfair； in order to secure materials for a charitable kitchen which； in concert with Baroness Burdett…Coutts； she had started at Westminster。 The amount of the food which she gathered was enormous。 Sometimes legs of mutton from which only one or two slices had been cut were thrown into the tub； where they waited for the arrival of the cart on its rounds。 It is by no means an excessive estimate to assume that the waste of the kitchens of the West End would provide a sufficient sustenance for all the Out…of…Works who will be employed in our labour sheds at the industrial centres。 All that it needs is collection； prompt； systematic； by disciplined men who can be relied upon to discharge their task with punctuality and civility； and whose failure in this duty can be directly brought to the attention of the controlling authority。
Of the utilisation of much of the food which is to be so collected I shall speak hereafter； when I come to describe the second great division of my scheme； namely the Farm Colony。 Much of the food collected by the Household Salvage Brigade would not be available for human consumption。 In this the greatest care would be exercised； and the remainder would be dispa
