The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-12
WORK WANTED, NOT AIMS.
sooIAI REFoRMERs VEL SEE THE
NJ YOR ABOUT ri.

They Held = MeetinG at Their Ciub and
Disease the situatios-say There IL Die
tress witch Cs..ot Ne Reached sy
Chsrity-A Demand for New city works.
The Rev. DR.. W. $. Rainsford. rector Of st.
Georges Church, and Commander Booth
Tucker Of the Salvation Army attended . meet
ing yesterday evening in the rooms Of the Social
Reform Club. called for the purpose Of appoint
ing a committee to urge the city onioials to start
city works at once for the benefit Of the unem-
ployed. Ernest II. Crosby, who called the
meeting. which began shortly after o
O'Clock. presided. A committee from the
Building Trades section Of the Gen.
trail Labor Union consisting of John
y. Henry, Recording Secretary. ana Delegates
Smith and Van Hofs was present In response
10 q request from Mr.. Crosby. Tho Social Re-
form Club was represented by Mr.. Crosby.
Charles IL. Spahr. Moses Oppenheimer. and sew
eral others. DIR. Jane Robbins attended on be-
half OF the College Settlement, and several
labor delegates and members Of reform societies
were there either by invitation or on behalf Of
their organizations
A general discussion took place as to tho
prHcticability Of starting projects such as the
widening OF Elm street, which had been In
allegiance for some time. A man who said he
was an ox.employee OF the Dock Department
said that IL took so much time to condemn land
for such purposes as the widening Of Elm street
that the relief In that direction would be too
late.
"The public charities are unable tn cope with
the Distress said Moses Oppenheimer. "be-
cause tho people who need relief most do not
want charity. For that reason the Charities
Department rays and thinks there are no I'M
usual demands. The great bulk OF the unem-
ployed shrink from the idea Of charity. They
want work instead"
81 have found.'' said DIR. Rainsford, that
there Is unusual distress. Mrs. Rainsford
has been going around. and has learned that
there are great numbers OF hungry children.
There are hundreds OF children who attend the
public schools break ~fastless. and the teachers
squeeze their own slender salaries to provide
tho most industrious OF tho Italians. who can
/ am sSrprised, that any one should doubt the
DR.. kainsford and Mr.. oppenheim advocated
the doing away with the contractors on city
trade organisations got the city work. It proved
successful and the King Of Italy favored the
raise raised from from ~ ons franz %s to Two and no f = half .Ifo or three three
this. Dr.. Rssinstord said. New YORK could do Il.
ganizAtion had aided unemployed people by
giving an hour or two's work TO each man at 10
cents an hour, Just to enable them to live. The
rest OF the day they could look for permanent
work. Only the married men got this work.
One man got married during the distress. This
caused . general smile. and DR.. Robbins said
she did not believe IL was Intended rs . prece-
dent or TO put a premium on marriage.
Commander Booth-Tucker said there was un-
doubtodly great distress. lie advocated one
cent meals. as great numbers of people who
were In distress did not like to take things for
nothing. He described the success of a series
Of farthing breakfasts or suppers in London.
They were started to do away with tho charity
idea. He also advocated the plan of starting
wood yards to give employment.
After several had spoken. including Mr. Crosby
and Jacob Riis, a committee was appointed to
call on the Mayor ana other city ~oficiais next
week to urge the immediate undertaking of
such work as can be started without any red
Commander Booth-Tucker, John s. Henry.
DR.. Rainsford, and Moses Oppenheim. The
committee will visit the Central Labor Union
on Sunday and ask that body to cooperate in
the relief movement.