The times., 1899-02-14
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY u. 1895.
The Emergency Fund.

nv
The present circumstances. unprece-
dented in the history of Washington. call
for instant and generous aid to the thou
sands of poor who are suffering from cold
and hunger A blizzard such as this is so
uncommon in this part OF the country that
it finds everyone unprepared. In the case
of the rich and well-to-do, this fact means
only certain amount of inconvenience.
In the case of the poor it means misery and
death.
There are hundreds of families in this
city who are living in little shanties hardly
warm enough TO shelter them from ordi-
nary transforms: novels in which ii is
scarcely possible 10 keep warm even with
a roaring fire in the one small stove. At
present these families are without coal or
warm clothing and most of them without
food OF money. The business blockade has
cut off The earnings OF many OF those who
work, and they are in imminent peril of
death from cold OF starvation. There is
no time for the investigation of their
record even if il were desirable to punish
an unworthy person by letting him die Of
want. The only effective medium for the
distribution of relief at this time is
through the police force. and The Times,
therefore suggests that those who wish
to help the poor in the present emergency
send their money 10 Major Richard Sylves-
ter, and let it be distributed under his
direction. At such time as this feeble
women and aged men cannot walk TO the
central office of the charity association:
but they can all reach the police station of
can notify the officer on their beat of
their need for help. If the police force
can only have money enough at their COM
mand TO relieve actual suffering. there is
no need that any one in Washington should
perish from exposure, to the eternal shame
of the well-fed and well-clad members of
the community.
The members of the police force do not
need to investigate the circumstances of
the poor. They know more thoroughly
than any other body of men where suffer
ing and want exist. There is no danger
that they will supply fuel, food. or money
TO those who do not need it. There is also
no danger that they will give their aid
in a way 10 humiliate and hurt the re-
cipient The people who need help most
at such time as this are those who are
ayerse 10 asking for it. They are the poor
who Will work till they drop at almost any
employment that is honest, but who, at
such time as the present. are thrown out
Of work and obliged TO use ali their little
savings in few days. Such people are
almost never reached by the charity as
sociauons. because they will not beg. If
there is case of actual destitution among
them, however, some knowledge of IT is
almost sure TO come 20 the ears of the
policeman. Often a kindly neighbor will
give hint that help is needed, and at any
rate the poor man can ask the friendly
officer 10 tide him over a crisis in his small
fortunes. with much less loss of self-re-
spect than he would feel in applying to
charity visitor who refused TO help him
without Il long series OF questions
In conditions such as these, there should
Be no petty scruples in the mind of any
generous person. The people of this city
are for the moment isolated from the
Eorld and dependent on each other. Or
dinary rules Of business are suspended.
We cannot refuse aid to anyone who needs
it, and there are enough needy persons
TO claim all that we can spare 1t is. then.
of the utmost Importance that this aid be
quickly and effectively given, with the
least possible waste of time or money.
The police force can do this. 1t rs the
best business they can be about Just at
present. Let us supply them, therefore.
with abundant means for their life-saving
work, and lose no time in the giving.