The morning times., 1895-07-08
TEMPORARY CHARITY LOANS.
Especially Adapted 10 the Needs of
American Life.
(FrOm the jewish ENponcnt)

tf rom tIt jewish Exponent.
The pa wnbrokiug system for the bene-
fit Of the poor OF New York was deemed
a great advance in modern charity methods
when introduced last year. 1t is still i'll
its experimental stage. aud only those
most Interested know enough Of its value
TO say that such are the substantial gains
for the poor through its careful admins
tratIon that IL will be made permanent
The world is familiar with the rapacity
or the money lender engaged in a small
way, and knows of his unwilliHgneSS to
allow more time TO those temporarily in
need than the law gives them or other
wise to indulge them when hard pushed;
and Iffor no other reaso than that he needs
has limited capital to turn over aud over
again TO his multitude or customers Pub
lie institutions like the Mont de Pietc, the
national pawn,broEinE system OF France,
and the new departure in New York City
are not subject to these limitations The
latter has a set of business rules which
the managers want obeyed, but IL coop
crates as we'll with the Charity Organization
Society, and while il prevents imposition.
relieves from the stigma of paUpcriSm by
requiring deposits of value and a small
rate of interest its single purpose is to
do its very best for the poor The plan,
as is well known, is far from being new
for the Talmud distinguishes two kinds
OF assistance TO the poor: ZedOko, gen
eral aims giving and relief, and Gmiiuth
CheSed which is the technical term for
temporary loans to the INDECENT These
Gracious Best wings are set down in
the morning prayers of the old style prayer
book as procuring for the benevolent a
reward, whose interest is enjoyed in this
world, and the principal in the world 10
come 1t is held not merely duty, but
privilege to give this kind OF assistance. and
piouS Jews Of the old school keep alive
the idea by their actions even in our
time, requiring no collateral and GER
taialy no interest, because the Pentateuch
forbids it, Just as it urges the care OF
the poor.
The Jewish methods of making temporary
loans Reduced to modern ideas finds its best
example in the Birmingham, England
Hebrew Relief Society. So good are its
results that they are worth while quoting
as the Jewish Chronicle has done. The
loans constituted by far the largest eX-
penditure of the localsociety. Oftheseveral
thousand pounds loaned out during the
year, only three-tenths of 1 per cent
were lost. In London far more money
was doed out than loaned. and of that
given over, large proportion was held to
be bad debts. The way the Birmingham
! society secures its results is by requiring
no collateral, but security, and as security
not wealthy, influential persons. whom the
pOoi ihlAit udhS ITO SCGupies III duOWlIlS TO
bear their losses. On the contrary, they
demand the poor neighbors of the bor-
rover as bondsmoa, feeling that no Jew
would allow those almost as badly off as
himself to make good his losses, If it
We're possible to avoid 1t. Results have
shown the wisdom of this course.
There seems to be little reason why this
loan system should not become a promi-
nent feature in all the charities of this
itn Hah
relief societies. Their beneficiaries are
mainly such as feel that their reverses in
fortune are only temporary, and that in
time they can resume their places; and this
is exactly what happens. Small dealers
want a few dollars to tide over until
they can pull things together, and many
a poor W idow wants TO be started in life
To loan is better than to give; IT does not
destroy the manly feeling. The loan and
the employment bureau can well work
hand in hand, and should be found every
where.