THE PROBLEM OF THE UNEMPLOYED. [To THE EDITOR OT THE
"SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—The winter is upon us, and there will be thousands of the unemployed to be provided for. It has been proved by the Spectator Experimental Company that in a few months it is possible to make untrained men fit to join the ranks of a trained army. It has been sufficiently shown by the experience of Switzerland and Germany that a military training does not render a man unfit for the ordinary trades of civil life. Would it not be possible, and of advantage to the country, to turn some hundreds of the men who are out of work during the winter months into trained soldiers and fair riflemen, who would be able in case of emergency to fill up vacancies in our fighting- line? The men would have to be paid and lodged; but there are many who now shrink from subscribing to the various funds which have been started, on the ground of their pauperising tendencies, who would willingly give, and give generously, to a scheme which, while saving the men from useless work, would be of great advantage to the country. To consider the plan in its details would for the moment be useless, but it is clear that for a first experiment a very moderate outlay would suffice. An armoury and miniature rifle range, with lodging for the drill-sergeant, would be -required in the neighbourhood of some town or village where a certain number of men could find lodgings or be boarded out. If the scheme were to take the men's fancy and prove a success, it would not be difficult to extend the experiment.—.
[Unquestionably the unemployed would be improved in physique, in self-respect, and in the power of making a living by undergoing, say, a four months' training on the lines of the Spectator Experimental Company. We do not, however, much like the notion of associating the idea of military train- ing with the most feckless and helpless part of the community. To leani to bear arms in defence of one's country should be
• regarded as the privilege of the freeman and the heritage of the full citizen, not the last refuge of the wastrel or the " weary Willie." Again, we very much doubt the wisdom of special funds or a special organisation for the unemployed. The risk of calling into existence an unemployed class to live
• on unemployed funds is a very real one. Still, we do not wish to seem harsh or pedantic, and should like to hear the opinion of persons experienced in dealing with the unemployed.— En. Spectator.]
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