The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-27
James Forbes Scores
Lax Police System
If Department Should Exercise More Care,
Says New Yorker Capital Wouldn't Suf-
fer From Fake MendCantS.

had tc come 20 this country. and what
nc sought was merely a temporary loan
with this story the scamp obtained
large sums from many prominent New
Workers. IN time. however the police
learned of his operations and ne was
forced TO fee from New York to escape
arrest
Next he posed as DR. Sommerfeld'
and raised money on the old plea of not
having enough money TO bury dead
child. Each time he changed his place
OF residence he assumed a different
name, having at different times been
known as Dr. August Berger. Prof
Willie In Won Humboldt, anu Or The.
ophilus Waldmeistcr.
The case or Troebner.~ continued NJ.
Forbes. clearly demonstrates the help
lessneSs OF the public IN the hands OF
rascgls Of this type. Dor various rea-
sons some people are reluctant to turn
q deaf ear to these appeals Of charity. or
TO refuse street beggar: but If they
were only 10 stop and think Of the ire
parable injury thy are doing everybody,
shere would ne less indiscriminate char
ity going.
Most people feel thoroughly pleased
with themselves when they TOSS nickel
or dime TO the poor cripple who lets
you know Ct his physical addiction BY
means or sign or piacard- The aver
age man will argue with himself that .
or 10 cents viii certainly not hurt his
own financial condition. and will surely
4 Sad Mistake.
But that is just the mistake that
thousands of persons are making today.
It's becoming q scourge-this indiscrim-
mate giving Of alms-and everybody who
does It Is merely helping TO demoralize
The moral standard Of the world. To
| answer the plea OF a Deggar IS 10 help
that person on the road to deseneracy.
ria f.fx he NJ
begging, and IL IS seldom that a bcggar
fails to become thief.
If every person who IS in the habit
Of helping beggars would contribute MS
or her money to some form of organized
charity they would be doing more 10
strengthen the moral structure OF the
world than could be accomplished IN
! any other way. II is unnecessary 70
/ explain that charities are organized Tor
| the sole purpose of distributing help
among the poor of uplifting the moral
| money IS placed where 1t Will do the
/ most good, and not where II does the
most harm And II the public were 20
/ help the Associated Charities there
wou@ be less trouble IN solving the
/ problem OF mend4cancy.
Indiscriminate Aims.
Giving aims indiscrirr tnately has done
more TO dry up the springs OF charity
/ than any other evil
New York has been swept practically
! clean OF beggars. ne ADDED Where
/ hundreds of them used to infest the
] streets. It Is pretty hard TO find even
/ one now Sometimes We come across
fake cripples and begging peddlers. but
] as a general thing. the public IS not
/ much annoyed by beggars.
/ 4 have recognized a few familiar
! faces in Washington since l came here;
several nights ago ! stroiled along
/ Pennsylvania Avenue, and was surprls-
I ed to find so many or these scamps-
There Is no reason why there should Be
! any beggars at all IN Washington
] they don't belong here. and. should
| CINE the police would get rid Of
them.