The San Francisco call., 1906-06-11
Exasperating Red Tape OBJ
stucts Giving Out
Supplies.
List Of Clubs Of State That
Responded to the Call
for Help.
Mrs. Aylett R. Cotton is
HOnOred by Fellow
Members.
DY LAURA BRIDE POWERS.

BY LAURA BRIDE POWERS.
acquisition: a demand: an authorita-
I've demand for focd or supplies.-Cen-
Requisition: An involved triplicate
document designed to harass busy. nm
palo relief workers, and TO protect relief
supplies from distribution to the needy:
an eNemplificauon of old fogyisrn: a
document designed to demand the serv-
ices OF = corps of chiefs. subchiefs. as
sistant sGbchtees, clerks and typewrit-
lsts 10 read. pigeonhOle or reject, and
Hle-though cases are recorded Of
prompt issuance Of supplies whereat
great rejoicing is heard in the sub
stations; method of defeating alleged
purpose; synonyms-old fogyism, red
tape. inelasticity. obstructionism.-Col
lOouial definitions.
Did you ever watch the tail of a kite
IN high wind? You remember how il
darts and scars and dips, now in sight
and now quite out-welI. that's the way
with a "reQuisition." Now you see il
and now you don't Should you attempt
10 follow II with the naked eye through
al the official strata, look out for a
crook in your neck-or q twist in your
temper.
To be sure, the proposition of provid-
ing Tor the thousands OF homeless fell
low-citiZens is a tremendous problem.
and il takes the best brains nf the best
type Of the best people TO handle il.
And the first step in the solution ia.
Of course. system.
But when system" is permitted To
block the very procedure for which II
was created. then there's something
wrong in the system
-And the fact that there is something
wrong il the system OF securing sup
plies by authorized and properly ac-
credited persons is current talk Wher-
n f.aT
Most OF these workers are women
veil known IL club work, and who are
wel disciplined and poised aid on IA
ul.liar terms with current business
methods.
But current business methods as club
women know them-the methods OBJ
tanning in san Francisco and other
American cities-are BRIEF, concise. di-
rccc and expeditions. They are designed
for the purpose OF expediting business
instead OF delaying it, and are none the
:ess accurate because less numbering
and Cumbrous.
Buc here's a sample Of what club
lead RI withhold the name for OBJ
7-io-s rcasons-was called upon to eX-
cc.tte curing my visit. when a poor old
woman came 70 her relief station (after
walking Z. score OF blocis) tc ask for 4
COT. IIanket and a mattress
che needs OF the poor old woman
he- % be sleeping in an unused laun-
dr. on tho soft side OF some washtubs-
Then came the "requisition" act
--cp FIJI out original blank vita
applicants name. address. etc. for one
co.. .tad sign
Step 2-Fiu out duplicate blank, same
as 40. ]. and sign.
step 3-Fim out tr!plicate blank. same
as ~ !. and sign
80 much for the cot
Now for the blanket-yOu viii OBJ
serve tIsat the blanket and the mattress
were not included in above tripl!cate
rcq1iS.tion-
Tfen followed the original three ap-.
plications for the blanket. And then
The three demands for the mattress.
thus making nine blanks 10 be filled oat
and signed by the busy, unpaid land
rather sparselE thanked club relief
aad the old lady needed kitchen
utensils or other supplies OF similar
character. three demands would have
n he signed FOR each unit and filled
O., IS above.
Then there was the case of-say. for
convenience. John Brown. Mrs Brown
shoes Case O. KID The requisition,
as per current obstruction methods.
read. John Brown; address, etc. pair
of shoes. Signed 49,
Three times was this duplicated. as
u-as Mrs Browns and so was each Of
The little Browns. making eighteen de-
lands for six pairs Of shoes.
Now these are actual cases and are
Quoted seriously. q am aware of their
scgnblance to a Twainism-)
Nor is this all
In the case of the old lady's cot the
nine acquisitions didn't fetch the
goods-at least not for two weeks
Meanwhile the women Of the relief
station had provided for the poor old
soul out of private subscription
Te be sure. there's a tremendous lot
Of good work being done by the relief
stations. but there is no question but
their efficiency would be quadrupled If
about so per cent Of the clerical red
tape were abandoned
Why. pray. should relief bureaus
adopt snetnocs that live business houses
would scorn2
Why make the great problem Of cara
lng for the needy worse b. cumber-
ONE. old fogy obstruction.sm?
The California Club stole a few mo-
raents from relief work last week for
me very happy purpose of presenting 4
RS AyIett r Cotton. the retiring 4
resident, with a beautiful little watch 4
And never was a token more justly 1
c-rned nor more cheerily given. 1t was