at is the great puzzle of the statesman and the social
economist alike.

The present tendency of the Army already mentioned to have fewer of the
lower class, cheap hotels and more of the higher class brings up some
important considerations. There are three points which come up for
particular notice here. First, as has already been stated, the present
tendency of the Army is to have fewer of the lower class or cheap hotels
and more of the higher class. One reason for this is that, although the
Army's competition has in many instances forced the ordinary cheap
hotels to better their equipment, still, in the long run, the Army
cannot successfully compete with the ordinary low class hotel and
maintain an equally good or better environment, without having its hotel
work subsidized by the public. The men whom we have just described do
not appreciate better surroundings sufficiently to pay fifteen cents for
a bed at the Army hotel, when they can get one for ten cents at another
place around the corner. Secondly, as the Army extends its work, there
is the ever present tendency of any organization to become an end in
itself. Hence the Army tends to forsake its field of the lower class for
the field of the working class for financial reasons. If it can carry on
a hotel which appeals to a higher class of working men who are willing
to pay $1.50 upwards per week for a separated room such as has been
described, they may do better financially than with a dormitory whose
beds are held at ten cents. This second point of consideration leads us
to a third, and that is, what is to become of this lower class of
vagrants and unemployables. This discussion hardly comes in the scope of
this book, but we might suggest in passing that the cheap, lower class
of hotels with which the Army has entered into competition should not be
allowed to continue as at present. In case of the failure to provide
competition, the city itself should provide a successful competition
under good environment, or should take measures for the segregation of
the vicious elements of the population from the merely weak, aged and
unfortunate.[54]

On the other hand, among the occupants of these hotels a certain number
are men for whom there is hope; some victims of misfortune; others
degraded by dissipation and recklessness, but not entirely demoralized.
With these the Army can deal successfully in its industrial homes, and
some of them can regain a foothold without aid.