The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-19
POOR JACK FINDS
MANY GOOD FRIENDS
The Associated Charities Will Take
Up the Fight Against the
Land Sharks.

A meeting of the Executive Commit
Zee of the Associated Charities was
acid yesterday afternoon at 8 o'clock.
In the absence Of President Dole, Rev.
Mr.. Macintosh was asked to act as
chairman. AT first there was no quor-
I'm, only four members being present,
since Mrs. Berger, the manager, did not
sount. Business was proceeded with
n the expectation that the rest OF the
committee would approve OF whatever
iction might be taken. The minutes of
he previous meeting. March 21, were
lead and approved.
Mrs. Berger then read her report.
During the four weeks she has had los
Interviews in the office, and she had
dispensed $170-$110 for the Strangers
f'riend Society, $50 for the American
Relief Fund, and $40 for the Associat
ID Charities. The number OF applica-
ions for assistance was "a, OF cases
Investigated s, of cases relieved by the
Associated Charities Is, Of cases re-
ieved by the German Aid Society /, of
cases relieved by the American Relief
Fund /. There were Is applicants for
employment. Situations had been
.ound for five, to Mrs. Berger's knowl
edge, but many of the others did not
come back to report, SO that she could
not tell what fortune had attended
,hem. The manager had made four
.een visits.
George r. Carter, the treasurer,
came in just as Mrs. Berger had fin
shed, making a quorum, and the report
was re-read, because it was necessary
% a discussion as to the important
question, what to do with the sailors
who apply for help. The Sailors Home
1T present gives the Associated Chari-
lies no assistance. Sailors desert
from vessels in port, are caught, and
80 out on the reef. Or, they hide until
he ship has gone. In other cases they
are paid off here. In whatever man
ner they come to be ashore not under
contract, they spend all their money
in six days, and then they need help
badly and they cannot get 1t.
The Sailors Home Is not designed
for men who have no money: and the
sailors know better than to fall into
he hands OF the harpies. They all
know what that means, and they fight
extremely shy of those men. Bu. the
point is, what can the Associated Char
tiles do for these men? Ii certainly
will not do TO allow the idea to go forth
that the Associated Charities proposes
TO help financially men who have de-
serted from ships; IL would tend to en-
courage crime. SO said Mr.. Carter,
and the suggestion received instant
sanction. But" urged Mrs. Berger.
I'VE can't send away these poor fei-
lows when they come to US starving.
| The affiliating societies give no help
except to the sick. 1t would hardly do
| to establish at the Associated Chari-
| ties "A headquarters or an agency for
sailors, to which shorthanded captains
could apply"
Mr.. Carter said that this was a most
| important matter and that the present
was a critical time In regard TO It.
THE future OF sailors here is being de-
cided now. They are paid of here, or
at any rate they come to be floating
around Honolulu. as around other
ports, and the question that Is going
to be decided now Is whether or not
the system Of crimps and boarding.
house masters which works an i'm
mense amount of harm In San Francis
co is to obtain foothold here. This
Is an immensely profitable business.
These crimps take sailors In to board
and then take $50 advance pay from
the captains, so that the sailor works
two or three months, or even longer,
without receiving any money for It..
The system OF Lewis and Turk here
must be fought"
There is great demand here for
sailors. and ships constantly leave this
port shorthanded while sailors need
work. The best way out OF the iilen1-
ma, IL was agreed. Is for the Associated
Charities to send the seamen to Cap
tain Bray, who has just taken charge OF