Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-19
American Work for the Distressed on
the Island.
A TASK THAT BROUGHT NO GLORY
Value of the ResuI, Accomplished
is Great.
MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE


downright 1900 by J. d. Whepley)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
HAVANA, March IA. 1900.
IL has been said that when the Americans
came to Cuba there were from 100000 to
1I1Goo orphan children on the island. This
may or may not be an exaggeratfon. One
thing is certain, there were enough of them
to arouse the sympathies and give origin
TO many schemes for their relief. Some of
these children had the pretense of home
That Is they had a shelter to which they
retreated at night and some adult. male or
female. presided over this shelter as the
head of the family. They may have been
the parents or some near relative. or they
may have been inspired by that humanity
common to a large proportion or all the
human race. These children who were for
tunate enough to have a place they could
call home were little better off than if they
had more. for nearly all of these grown
people were without resources, i'll, discour-
aged and possessed of no ability to care for
their charges. no matter how keen their de-
sire To do so.
On the other hand, there were thousands
of children in Cuba a year ago who had no
pretense of a home. They wandered about
the towns and villages alone and in groups,
homeless. shelterless, friendless. sick and
starving. At night they slept on the
streets or craWled into some SHeu Wnere
they could find room. The United States
government, through its military officials,
at once instituted a system of relief. AT
every army station these wan, sad-eyed lit
tie wrecks were gathered up and fed.
Thousands of dollars were spent for food,
and none who could come and ask, and none
who could be found, were allowed TO go
hungry. 1t was in their capacity as prac
teal philanthropists that the officers of the
American army demonstrated a wonderful
adaptability and heroism which is supe-
49,, III -, Io,.r GN1I
fearlessly exposed themselves to disease.
Day and night, with wonderful patience.
they cared for men, women and children
who fell to their jurisdiction and became
their responsibility. 1t was a work which
brought no glory. 1t brought no honorable
mention or brevet rank. The reward was
only in the sense of well doing of a duty
performed.
Aid of Charitable Persons.
At this juncture there came to the aid of
the government the money and effort of the
thoughtful and charitable people of the
Tinted States. Societies were organized for
relief, for the education and for the adop-
ton of children. Individuals who thought
they had call to the mission came to
Cuba and lent their aid to the work. Some
were paid good salaries, others a bare sti-
pend. and some even struggled along with
those for whom they were working, receiv-
ing little more than did their charges
Seif-Seekers. A few of them Were of that
meanest class of humanity. those who hope
To profit by putting themselves in the way
of sympathetic endeavOr. 1t can be said
even of these. however. that whatever may
have been their motives. they have had no
sinecUre- II has been hard road to trav-
ell for the work IS dangerous, unattractive,
diScVura glng and apparently with no end.
Good men and good women have entered
this field. however, and their reward can
never be equal to the results they have &C
complished- With scanty means solicited
from the public. and assisted at times by
the government. they have gone among the
poorest people and tended their wants. They
have walked the streets and searched the
novels for children to wash, dress. feed, ed
ucate and care for. They have secured
humble quarters in the villages and gath
cred about them groups of little ones, who,
Tor the first time in their lives, knew what
II was to be clean. well fed and kindly
treated In the minds of these children are
also being instiled the rudirnents of edu-
cation and the first principles of morality
This work, as humble as it is cannot fail
To- be of great value, for these children Of
today are the men and women of tomorrow
During the latter years of the war many
. OF these homeless children died Many are
diving now from the effects of their past
suffering. Their bodies are hopelessly de-
ficient in the vitality necessary to recover
and. cruel perhaps it may sound il is
better they should die, for their physical
condition promises unhappy and a use
less life. One of the most successful wo-
men workers in the field said to me not
long ago: Now. don't misunderstood me.
but ! must say it. l do not care how many
OF these children die. 1t is better for them
and for their country that they should die
What / am concerned about is the mental
condition of those who are to live And
she is right. There are many children
who are crippled idiotic or otherwise hone
lessly physically mentally deficient who
Will De IN public institutions all their mis-
cradle lives, or be a charge upon relatives
or friends.
Largest Class i'm Need of Aid.
The widows and deserted women with
children are the largest class in Cuba need
Ing aid The Cuban woman is a good
mother. She clings to her children. slaves
for them. starves and dies for them. Her
children may be illegitimate, but that is
because She is immoral, rather than i'm
mnralThe money she is able to earn. If
any Is mere pittance. perhaps 10 cents a
day. and upon that and what charity she
and her children receive they must ali find
shelter. clothe and feed themselves
Mstdnzas was the worst sufferer from
the effects of the war Of all the cities This
city mas a population OF about co. 900 Here
was located the greatest Recommendation
camp in Cuba. When the American soldiers
came 10 this place the streets were filthy
business was stagnant and thousands of
people were starving. The CITY has been
CIeansed and the people fed Until the com
mun!ty now looks fairly prosperous but
the great harbor is still empty of ships
ana commerce has not been resumed to any
extent 1t Will take several years of peace
To reinstate Natanzas in the commercial
position ii held before the war. With Cuba
highly developed Matanzas will become A
great city with trade second only TO two
or three places on the island.
Despite the efforts OF the government of
societies and of individuals who have en-
gagged in charitable work there are still
less than 800 children in Matanzas in shell
tiers provided for them. That there are
many more is evident even from a casual
stroll about the city. When the municipalI-
Ties are organized power will be given then,
10 raise money for the establishment of in
stitutions To relieve this condition. but 1t
VIII be at least a year and perhaps more
offore TINS can be done systematically and
In the usual and proper way. In the mean
time relief must be afforded asst Is baino
given now by the government and by pri-
Nate charity This is necessarily spasmodc
and incomplete, for the government work
Is limited to impersonal conditions of need.
and private effort is limited by the lack OF
funds at its disposal.
The children are growing up They are
the most impressionable age, physically
mentally and morally This is the time for