How to Feed the Children
By Alderman E. R. Hartley. (Bradford)
1908
" Whether there be one God,
or three; no God or ten thousand,
little Children should be fed,
and their bodies kept clean."
JOHN RUSKIN.
The Citizen Series.
This Pamphlet will be followed by others, dealing with various phases of SOCIALISM
from the Practical Side.
HOW TO FEED THE CHILDREN.
NO measure of recent years does more credit to the work of the
Socialists of Britain than the one giving power to feed the
children. Not that the Act goes far enough or is at all
adequate, but because it is the outcome of a demand made without
ceasing for over a quarter of a century.
The Act should be compulsory and not adoptive. It should
give local autonomy by allowing the Local Authority to decide the
amount of the rate according to the varying needs of the district
concerned. The ratepayers themselves to decide the amount.
Our present business is to see that the new powers are used to
the utmost ; we have got the wedge in, it must be driven home.
When Socialists first argued for the feeding of the children who
were compelled to attend the Nation's schools on the ground that if
they were obliged to go to school, we should at least be sure that
they were physically fit to receive and benefit by what they were
taught. We were told that the children were already fed.
The Clarion Cinderella Clubs proved that large numbers of the children
were not fed, or at least only partially or badly fed. The work
grew, and children's holiday funds, &c, were quite popular.
NOT BIG ENOUGH.
The South African War, however, brought matters to a head ;
when it was found that more than one-half of the young men offering
themselves for service, in the time of the Nation's need, were not
good enough to be shot at, or to wear the Nation's uniform, people
began to think. The youths bred in our slums and reared in our
factories and workshops, were so narrow across the chest and their
general development too small, to be fair targets for the Dutchmen's
guns, they might miss them ; and it was this serious problem that
caused the first real consideration of the matter. A little enquiry
soon showed the main reason to be under and improper feeding.
2 HOW TO FEED THE CHILDREN.
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.
When the question of Public Feeding came to the front, we
were at once met with the statement that " to feed w 7 ould take oft
Parental Responsibility." Results had proved this to be nonsense
for, if it was the parents fault, they had evidently thrown off the responsibility long ago. Any way the children were not fed.
CONTINUED.........
11 HOW TO FEED THE CHILDREN. 11
A GREAT SUCCESS.
So far the work has been a great success, and while we
Socialists can claim to be the initiators, we have not been alone in
our efforts to make the matter a success. Men and women of all
parties are soon in deadly earnest when it is something to help the
children. Help them in the best of all ways, by helping them to be
better able to help themselves at a later day.
MAKE THE BEST OF THEM.
Mr. Sleary's pregnant advice to Mr. Gradgrind always seems to
me specially adapted to our children —
" Make the best of us, and not the worst."
To leave children unfed and unfit to receive the fullest
benefit from our Educational system, seems very like making the
worst of them. All History and experience are with us. '' Healthy
body, healthy mind," is proverbial, and the ladies and gentlemen of
high birth and culture, who like the others are only descendants of
the cave dwellers, owe more of their present fine habits and
manners than thev are aware of, to the fact that for many
generations they have be^iL temoved from the first primal struggle
to get food. What haj served in their case will hold good for the
race. When men and women generally have not to spend their
main energies in getting the bread that perisheth, they will have
both time and inclination for higher things. In a wolfish struggle
for food, there is no time or chance for the greater things which
make for life.
CHILDREN V DREADNOUGHTS.
The present serious decrease in the birth-rate, makes it all the
more necessary that we should make the best of tho^e children we
have. If we are merely struggling for Trade, I have far less fear
of the German Navy than the growth of the German Schools. No
possible Navy we can provide will enable us to keep our place
amongst the nations of the world, if the masses of our people are
physically and mentally inferior.
With a Nation of men and women "full summed in all their
powers," having intellectual pow r er to understand and physical
power to perform, no outside force can do us harm. But, with a
Nation strongly recruited from the British Barbarian, and with, as
our doctor told us, 13 per cent, of the children underfed, and
with little (if any) chance of a right development, there is always the
greatest danger in the future.
Children to-day i Nation to-morrow ! ! Let us never forget
that in a few short years the world's work will have to be carried
on by those who to-day are in our schools and playgrounds.
12 HOW TO FEED THE CHILDREN.
What we make those children to-day, that the Nation will be
to-morrow.
Amongst the most intelligent people of to-day, the greatest
scorn is felt for the father who neglects to give his children the
fullest opportunity of education ; whilst scorn would change to
anger and contempt, if it were known he also refused to give them
proper quantities of food.
The Nation can no more afford to neglect the children as a
whole, than the parents.
The tremendous economy to be made in feeding large numbers
like these is already proved, and will lead — no one knows where.
The Staff, at the Cookery Centre at Green Lane, prepare food for
nearly 2000 persons. The same Staff do all the washing-up.
Relief for Hard-Worked Mothers.
Now ye tired mothers ! (a great part of whose lives are now
spent in preparing meals and clearing them away) ! When Robert
Blatchford showed in Merrie England the great saving of time and
money, to say nothing of the saving of the lives and opportunities of
our women by collective cooking, there were many scoffers.
Yet, here we have a staff of six, three men and three women,
preparing and cooking for nearly 2000, and in addition doing all
the washing up for the same number. What a chance of relief for
our tired mothers !
There are great possibilities in the future for you, where more
leisure shall be your lot, under a wiser dispensation.
The children will be as well, and in many cases better fed.
The general economy will be great, and many an overburdened
mother will have cause to bless the clay when an answer was given
to what had often seemed a fruitless prayer for children —
" Give us this day, our daily bread !"
H. BEAUMONT, Printer, 18a, Laisterdyke (T.U. 48 Hours)
Full text at
http://home.us.archive.org/stream/howtofeedchildre588hart/howtofeedchildre588hart_djvu.txt
Edward Robertshaw Hartley (1855–1918)
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REUNION OF BRADFORD ILP LABOUR STALWARTS 1939
Greetings from the Lord Mayor (Alderman T. J. Robinson), a most happy reunion of former Labour members of the Bradford City Council took place to Branford last night.
Pioneer members of the party were present. and the earnest hope was expressed that faction would be obviated and that the Labour workers would once more present a united front.
The hope was also expressed that this would prove the forerunner of many such gatherings. A decision to hold a further reunion next year, to which members of the Bradford City Council Labour group are to be Invited, was unanimously adopted and Mr. A.T. Sutton was appointed convener. Mr. Sutton, who organised last night's gathering, revealed the fact that the idea of the reunion came from Mrs T. W. Stamford, wife of the chairman of the Bradford Labour Party
Mr Sutton sent out forty two invitations, those present
Walter Bateson, Michael Conway, Willie Crossley, Frank Duce, George Green, William Hirst, Joe Hainsworth, J.M. Halliday, Alfred Heaton, Eli Jenkins, George Muff MP, Mrs Amy Meggison, Arthur Shaw, A.T. Sutton, Mrs M.J. Sutton, Tom Stamford, Arthur Stott, R.J. Smith, Percy Thornton, Robert Varley, Theodore Warner
Guests
Mrs Palin, Mrs Alfred Pickles, (ex lady Mayoress) Mrs Stamford, Mrs Hirst, Mrs Stott, Mrs Duce, Mrs Jenkins, Mrs Shaw, Mrs Hansworth, Mrs William Leach
Mrs Conway was unable to attend to illness and apologies were given from
E. Bush, Robert Hill, Harry Mitchell, C.H. Tarbuck, E.O'Neil, Vincent Tewson, Mrs Jane Clayton,J. Bailey, J. Cox, F.W Jowlett, F. Import, Mrs Amy Sykes, Mr Foster of Sunderland
Conway stated "It was 27 years last November since he entered the City council and he soon came to the conclusion that Mr Joe Hayhurst was the real leader of the Council. He recalled Harry Palin the best fighter he had ever seen when everything was lost... and Willie Leach and Alfred Pickles , the later was "geniality and persuasiveness". Billy Land a very able man and the redoubtable E. J. Smith who bludgeoned his opponent mercilessly
MOVEMENT MEANS SERVICE
Memories were stirred by the roll-call of departed colleagues, which was read by Mr. Sutton:
Sam Shaftoe, C. Leonard Robinson, Arthur Priestman, Edward Hartley, Tom Delbridge, Joseph Hayhurst, Tom Grundy, A. Tuke Priestman, Charlie Glyde, R. Roberts, Wailter Barber, George Minty, Willie Mackinder, A. Pain,. Hall Seed, Frank Egan, Harry Wood, Tom Blythe, Ernest Fox, Robert Hiles, Arthur Goodison, Edward Siddle. Willie Rushworth, Harry Palin, Alfred Pickles, A. R. Ellis, Tom Ashworth. and Willie Brooke.
A pathetic feature about the last named is that he was alive when invited to last night's gathering, and wrote that a chill would prevent his attending.
Alderman Titterington wrote: We cannot let you be gathering together without saying how glad we are to hear of your reunion.
"When records and epitomes are turned up from time to time, the group recalls many made by all of you in the several spheres of local government activities, on behalf of the Socialist movement .. . . But that is only a small proportion of your labour, and the lifetime contribution which this gathering represents. - "
" To be in the Labour movement is synonymous with unremitting service for the common weal . . . The sum total of your service can never be recorded, other than In the minds and lives, the memories and the emotions of your associates and those workers whose interests you have served so long, so loyally, and so well."
the reunion concluded with singing of
When wilt thou save the people,
Hark the Battle Cry
England Arise
Bradford Observer 31 January 1939
