New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-21
"THEY DIAGNOSE THE NEED"
EDWARD T DEvINE TALKS FOR THE
WOMANs CENTRAL AUXILIARY

The NTH and last Of tho monthly charity CONFER
ences arranged by the Woman's Central Auxihhfv
Committee OF the Charity Organization Society was
held Yesterday morning In the Assembly Hail OF tho
Charities Building The SUBJECTS Of investigation
and OF temporary Va permanent relief were con-
sidered, the speakers being Edward 7. Devne. gen.
eral secretary of the Charity Organization Society
the Rev John 3. Devns. president OF the East Side
Federation and pastor OF Hope Chapel Mis-. al. Full
lerton Of the Association for Improving the Condi
ton Of the Poor and w. J. Nichols general secre-
tary OF the Brooklyn Bureau OF Charities In tho
absence Of tho chairman OF the committee Miss
Kate Bond who was detained by illness. Mrs. ]. b.
Tapley presided. Mr.. Dev!ne said:
'The Charity Organization Society investigates ap-
plicants for relief for the purpose Of labelling
them worthy or unwor;hy-who are We that We
should pretend to determine such a polnt!-but TO
diagnose tho need and find II any plan to enable tho
applicant to work out his own regeneration can Do
formulated.
Investigation cannot be too thorough. and q work
test cannot be substituted for knowledge There are
veritnble tramps who have como TO our woodward
perrormed the stipulated amount OF Work without
nrotest and submitted cheerfuly to all tho rulea
Then they have gone back 10 their VagaDoho Hle ior
a few days and returned to the woodward to re-
ouperatc. and would nave oono ~ i'Au'"'' - ''
had been allowed ,
Investigation may DO harm, II Is true oy reveal
ing destitution and setting gossip anoat- but
trained Intelligent sympathetic worker Will gen.
orally be able to avoid this, and possible injury Is
counterbalanced by the acknowledged good done.
Mr. Deyine concluded by contradtcting a recent
stat.ment to tho effect that he had spoken dis
paragingly Of agents and investigators OF the Char-
uv Organization Society. He considers the en-
ployes OF tho organization. he says to be compe'
tent energetic and faithful
Mr. Devns thinks that the only charity worth
rho name IS that which puts family on its feet
az man with several bones broken were taken
IN n hospital" he said land the house surgeon
o,rsaa ~ reduce more than fracture. on the
ro,na that II was against their rules 10 do moro
20 couIs think him insane: yet that is precisely
hot Won md are doing all the time. Peter and
Iohn mt the lame man at the Beautiful Gate OF
49, ra,,nle on his feet: they didn't give him tenn
nornrv assistance"
Mr. De,ns thinks that each church should as
anna the responsibility OF its own poor He crit
,c,soa III. Charity Organization Society for deal.
Two With anplicants who ought properly 10 be cared
for nv the different churches, and Mr. Devine re-
It'll tina, more than half the disposed OF by
The society were placed in the hands OF churches
nm, that this could not be done I'll after tho IN
os,ication OF cases. as the church connection was
eMTs Fullerton stated that this was also the pol
Tow ~ the Association for Improving the Condltlon
81 the Poor but that they were oDnsed o!tcH 10
give emergent relief to prevent tho laiineS rom
Carving 10 death while their cases were oens con-
sldcred by committees not all churChcS oe'"s d"
prompt a = Hope Chapel -.s... - .,,,ro,
Mr. Nichols was inclined 10 dsapprove or chufch
Interference He thought that many church Wis,
itors had ideas quite NJ VaIlahco Win 'n''' "N'N
", The conclusion Of the speeches the chairman
read report. prepared by Miss h1na 9 t' , wVoS
that forty societies and eighteen churches hau peeh
represented AT the meetings.