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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 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。
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 our highways and kitchen stoops with their perambulating
carcasses。 This is a form of elimination we not only countenance
but compel。 Therefore let us be cheerful and honest about it。 Let
us be as stringent as we please with our police regulations； but for
goodness' sake let us refrain from telling the tramp to go to work。
Not only is it unkind； but it is untrue and hypocritical。 We know
there is no work for him。 As the scapegoat to our economic and
industrial sinning； or to the plan of things； if you will； we should
give him credit。 Let us be just。 He is so made。 Society made him。
He did not make himself。
THE SCAB
In a competitive society； where men struggle with one another for
food and shelter； what is more natural than that generosity； when it
diminishes the food and shelter of men other than he who is
generous； should be held an accursed thing？ Wise old saws to the
contrary； he who takes from a man's purse takes from his existence。
To strike at a man's food and shelter is to strike at his life； and
in a society organized on a tooth…and…nail basis； such an act；
performed though it may be under the guise of generosity； is none
the less menacing and terrible。
It is for this reason that a laborer is so fiercely hostile to
another laborer who offers to work for less pay or longer hours。 To
hold his place； （which is to live）； he must offset this offer by
another equally liberal； which is equivalent to giving away somewhat
from the food and shelter he enjoys。 To sell his day's work for 2；
instead of 2。50； means that he； his wife； and his children will not
have so good a roof over their heads； so warm clothes on their
backs； so substantial food in their stomachs。 Meat will be bought
less frequently and it will be tougher and less nutritious； stout
new shoes will go less often on the children's feet； and disease and
death will be more imminent in a cheaper house and neighborhood。
Thus the generous laborer； giving more of a day's work for less
return； （measured in terms of food and shelter）； threatens the life
of his less generous brother laborer； and at the best； if he does
not destroy that life； he diminishes it。 Whereupon the less
generous laborer looks upon him as an enemy； and； as men are
inclined to do in a tooth…and…nail society； he tries to kill the man
who is trying to kill him。
When a striker kills with a brick the man who has taken his place；
he has no sense of wrong…doing。 In the deepest holds of his being；
though he does not reason the impulse； he has an ethical sanction。
He feels dimly that he has justification； just as the home…defending
Boer felt； though more sharply； with each bullet he fired at the
invading English。 Behind every brick thrown by a striker is the
selfish will 〃to live〃 of himself； and the slightly altruistic will
〃to live〃 of his family。 The family group came into the world
before the State group； and society； being still on the primitive
basis of tooth and nail； the will 〃to live〃 of the State is not so
compelling to the striker as is the will 〃to live〃 of his family and
himself。
In addition to the use of bricks； clubs； and bullets； the selfish
laborer finds it necessary to express his feelings in speech。 Just
as the peaceful country…dweller calls the sea…rover a 〃pirate；〃 and
the stout burgher calls the man who breaks into his strong…box a
〃robber；〃 so the selfish laborer applies the opprobrious epithet a
〃scab〃 to the laborer who takes from him food and shelter by being
more generous in the disposal of his labor power。 The sentimental
connotation of 〃scab〃 is as terrific as that of 〃traitor〃 or
〃Judas；〃 and a sentimental definition would be as deep and varied as
the human heart。 It is far easier to arrive at what may be called a
technical definition； worded in commer