New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14

niles a lack Of confidence in the investigator
which makes it inconsistent to send him 10 %
what after all. is the most essential work III
charity.
1t IS regrettable that motives of economy have
led at least one institution thus to discredlt It's
investigators. The impression prevails in 1t That
two cheap investigators will do almost much
work as one high priced one, and VIII cost
less.
THAT these two cheap" investigators in do
ing twice as much work might do four times as
much harm is a possibility that does not seem
TO have been considered. In actual practlce
young persons often taken as apprentices
because they are ardent to do good; they are
retained a few weeks and then discharged, on
rba evident ground of inccmpetency. Girls OF
seventeen. college boys on vacation. half Gu
ucated women without any definite experience
thus launch out into the practice or sclehIHhc
charity. These tyros all pass througn ao so
the same course of training; they spend te"
DAYS in the applica ton department learning 10
receive and to formulate applications, go OUT
then, possibly under the supervisor or an olueI
investigator to visit applicants in their homes
carry out a number Of Independent inVestlga-
tons and finally almost inevitably disappear
from view. a young girl, still in her teens
who descends TO the East Side among peo-
pie she only half understands, who under-
takes to unravel their complex fanny tan ll
and TO help them permanently out OF theiI poN
erty, is Of course, almost certain or IahuIe.
but unfortunately, in the mean time, she not
only makes herself ridiculous, but she puts inc
moor thus yictimized in a pitiable situation, and
she oftentimes turns into an OBJECT or scoiL n
the institution she represents. Ihe younS cpl
treats If almost as a diversion TO run down OIL
an afternoon for a couple OF hours ana WISH d
dozen families, surely does not win IauIeIs , aot
the institution. Ultimately these appIehIICT,S
are only cheap" extras, helping out the al
ready cheap investigators. 1t is natural that
the executive should feel the need Of ViselnS
the reports OF such workers OF making Ihese
investigators as innocuous as possible
Now what is the effect of this system upon
the applicant for relief? One thing Is certain
he becomes rapidly sophisticated by so many
varied Investigations. Harassed by series % s
more or less inexperienced workers TO each oi
whom he has had to tell his story anew, 49, -
from each of whom according to youth and 10
ten1peranlent, he has received the most various
recommendations and the most varying ueaI-
ment he has become a glib taking pauPeI
skilled in paradng his poverty, clever IN d[oGs
ing pity And he has come TO regard t1e cliaI
institution as kind of lottery IN MhIcn !.
him nothing to play ticket, ana where NC 'ii''
occasionally win a little prize -. 49,. $50
THE new applicant fares little better than the
old II is the practice at first to discourage MN
from coming to the institution, to make MIN
feel he should exhaust all other resources &c pe
fore applying for charity. The natural olildtIiCe
of a new and really deserving applcalit WIZ
yro,,Id already have made him exhaust al re-
sources before applying for pubic reIleI uo C
not seem to be taken into account iIe1c, - ~
the contrary, the bellef is apPdtelIIIy -, =
tanned that by sending him away harshIS dt
first the institution will intimidate MN IRON
coming again unless he really needs help. Now
in actual practice the deserving poor are oItel
too sensitive to venture again TO brave d IeCeP-
ton such as they have come to expect; tne
|
the presence of other applicants and or lhulIIer-
ent persons are too fresh in their NINA 10 per,
nit them to face the ordeal again. Illne ana
again have applicants come with the conElc-
| ton that only from institution could they
obtain relief without their situation beng mace
| Dublic to discover to their horror that II nae
| become all bruited about. 1t is only the prazen
| the shameless who dare suffer such treatment
and they force their way into notice, no matter
| what their reception.
But even apart from this, the very newness o.
this case increases the difficulty Of the POSI-
tion of the applicant For the rush OF appllca'
lions is such that the tendency is for the char
inv worker TO become impatient of those cases
that REQUIRE particular delicacy Of treatment o.
| unusual length Of time. He finds 1t much easlei
| to deal brusquely and briefly with applicants
| who have become hardened and who allow them
| selves to be expeditously handled according u
| a certain scheme This makes the situation n
| vorabIe for the professional beggar who knows
| how to state his case quickly. to bring on: al
| it's salient points without leaving any room fo
| doubt to depict such poverty as cannot fail Il
| affect any reasonable worker
! Where so many elements combine to retarC
proper action, to facilitate improper action anC
| TO d!scredit all action in the scientific ad
! ninfstration of a public charity by private IN
| diyiduals the next step would seem inevitabl!
| TO be to give back this charge then where /
| belongs-to the State.