New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-02

Macmillan COMPANY
so long as uneven. not to say inequitable con-
d..ions exist IN our social ORDER SO loils "ii4 "
be impossible for some members of 1t TO mann
80. ST. minimum standard of living which.
varying In different places and under oltiereh'
economic conditions, is generally recogni%eo aS
essential to effective effort and OFTEN even -
fhe preservation Of life itself what uie oo''
of the more fortunate more successlui ii'e'i
oers OF the social system is TO the suoileiseo
element and how aid may be most enicieiluS
extended are the questions which Dr. Devlne
asks and answers in his present volume 40
general secretary of the Charity Organization
Society Of the City OF New-York, he mas hau
abundant opportunity TO study this great So
Geological problem at first hand NOT ul'i"'-
urally he writes from the STANDPOINT Oh one
who believes that IN highly ORGANIZED COM
rnunity relief can be better admlhlsleieu ~
highly organized effort than when IetI u SFo
radio individual impulse. or even TO a mum
,,Iicitv OF specialized and unrelated orgaflZ1-
lions. ,.
In a thoughtful, rational fashion III LEVINE
discusses the views that have prevailed at Varl-
. ,,r,es on the subject of charity, or. as he pre-
5ars tn call it, relief: and mis- conclusions are uh
deniably logical and practical In saying lili9
we do not mean TO suggest that me "u'
attitude is in the least unsympatilelc- iiiueed
the largeness of his views and the lar reaching
character of the measures which ne auNocd'es
betoken a catholicity of sympathy that may
well put TO blush the limi-ed beneVolehce OF
many well meaning but narrow philanthroplsts-
The general principle on which he stands is that
relief when deserved, should be extended IN
such measure as to be fully effective and not
merely palliative. and should be OF an amount
and for period sufficient 10 cover all the heces-
sites of each particular case. When unoe-
served relief should not be afforded at ALL ana
the maIingerer or impostor should be prosecutor
Sriroina1lv and either forced to support himself
and those dependent on him or locked up. with
his elimination the relief of those dependent on
him would come up new problem In most
cases. of course the problem is to replace the
DISPLACED member Of society back IN the ranks
of the self-supportng, and with the least pos
sibie delay. For this purpose the author con-
tends that the best method is TO afford all the
relief needed. often in lump sum, as being not
only the most useful to the recipient at the time
but in the end the least costly to the community
and the least likely as well TO have pauper-
sizing tendency. Thus the immediate furnishing
If the amount necessary to set UP man in a
small business may render him Immediately in
oependent and result in his paying back the
money advanced. When. the other hand, re-
lief IS given in insufficient amounts and at de-
iayed tnfrequent and irregular intervals, the al
ready discouraged recipient is far more likely to
become indurated TO his submerged condition ana
70 look TO outside assistance the only possible
solution Of his difficulties.
In dealing with dependents whose care must
be assured for more or less prolonged periods
he question to be determined is whether they
can be better helped in institutions or in their
OWN homes DR.. Devine is strong believer
In the family as the natural social unit. and he
"a convinced that where conditions at all
favorable It should not be broken up. In the
eeventy-hve selected cases which he prints as
the second part of his book he gives instances
Of several families who have been maintained
BY private and public benevolence in their own
homes for several years, and without apparent
'-pauperizng' effect. Children, as they became
able. became self-supporting, and in the end
assumed the support of others. In the cases Of
these families the cost has been less than that
Of the separate maintenance of the members in
institutions with far better moral effect on the
individual and reciprocally, on society at large.
Relief to be afforded large scale. is
far beyond the means Of ordinary church and
charitable associations and calls for an organi-
cation with means and access to more means.
sufficient to carry out a widely comprehensive
policy. One of the most important functions
Of such an organization must be that of investi-
eating the character and determining the needs
OF those by whom or for whom assistance is
sought. The records of such a society as that
OF which the author is officer become an in
creasingly valuable mine of information not
only for detecting the unworthy. but in afford
ing data for determining the best means to pur-
in aiding the worthy.
DR.. Devfne divides the development of the
charitable impulse in man into four progressive
stages: The desire to alleviate obvious and
obtrusive distress. the desire TO relieve dis
tress adequately: the desire TO restore the de-
pendent, If possible, position OF self-support;
and, finally, the desire TO create social condi-
tons in which pauperism is entirely absent
The third part Of the book accordingly, is
given over to historical survey of the chart.
ties movement in America, in which the grad.
uel evolution of the benevolent impulse is traced
TO its present state, which may be described a.
an imperfect development of the third ant
fourth stages When, however, there arise
at last in many places and for different reason.
determination TO seek out those social force.
that have downward pull and 10 destroy then
by concerted action when. too there arise.
a realization that 1t is possible to call into in
creased activity social forces that are redemp
tive, regenerative. uplifting in character anC
that will make unnecessary many charitabI,
tasks and make easier all that remain"
Improved sanitation brings improved health ant
physical viGoT- improved housing and public park.
sal elementary education. manual training kinder
gartens. normal schools. professional schools anc
me university becolne actual preventive agencies
The better care of dependent children helps no
"hicn lhcE are members. Intelligent persisten
social effC-t TO improve the physical and the socia
linked with the most elementary and universal o.
all impulses Of the human heart that 10 helm tbos
IS painful; effort 10 SEEK on and iiI 7ctse
fStlf hat il