The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-16
pecia, Correspondence of The Journal.

San Francisco, Sept. 13.-Because the
most tremendous relief work the World
has ever known is being, done IN San
Francisco, and because all sorts OF con-
j ficting calamity reports are in circula-
1 tion, The Minneapolis journal deter
u mined to have special, unbiased In
/! yestigation made for its readers. That
Investigation, now ready Tor Pfesehta-
tion, also covers a brief analysis of the
commercial and Industrial conditions in
1 these first months of rehabilitation. On
one hand are found the optimistic pro-
moters who see skyscrapers where tenn
/ porary structures must rise; IN contra
II distinction to these over enthusiastic
i people are those of little faith and less
4 courage, also the irresponsible and I'M
i fair scribes of other or rival cities who
! make something akin to bowling will
Y derness of the shaken and burned city.
The truth of the situation is interesting.
Has There Been Any Graft?
To the last farthing the money con-
! tributed for the relief of the San Fran
cisco sufferers has been accounted for
f-ey the finance committee, composed OF
dependable citizens, but it's statements
j published regularly, while showing that
relief has been given far and wide, in
dictate that, the, administration of the
| fund has been startlingly extravaganza.
1.-The methods of relief put into opera
tion by DR.. Devine, the national Red
II Gross representative, to whom the local
people were bound to defer, are respon-
sible for this state of affairs. Devine
dominated the situation to the detrl-
h ment of the relief work.
There has been some petty grating
by underlings connected with the sup
:sply depots. In many instances the
thieves have been unprecedented and
punished. Repeaters'' in the bread
line have been discovered in time to
/. have their ill-gotten stock confscated.
some most undeserving people have re-
] ceived the portions of dependents.
This petty graft, as it may be desig-
mated, has been insignificant, however,
compared with the loss of money from
the fund expended upon wrets Mhal mis- MS
plenty Of people who do not hesitate to
call the Importation Of "scientifc char
ity workers. by DR.. Devine fragrant
ssgrafting. These administration
1 leeches have had a junket to Califor,;
MIA with all expenses paid and good
salaries in the bargain.
Scientific Charity Methods Scored.
Real distress and Encouragement
have followed in the wake Of DR.. De-
vines scientific methods, instituted, &C
cording to his sayso, to prevent the
spauperization Of the people. Home
less people in the hours Of real stress
cannot be pauperized' by generous
and considerable treatment.
+ The scientific administration put into
operation by, Dr.. ,Devine and his i'm
ported "workers'' would be quite fit
ting in the philanthropic economies Of a
large complex city in normal times, fo1
the detection of imposters who were
trying to make a living by working all
the charitable organizations in turn. 1t
would even do for San Francisco some
time hence when able-bodied men anc
women are over the hysteria Of the
less are provided for. At least, for the
first four or five weeks, or perhaps more
after the calamity, the giving of money
or supplies to the homeless people OF
San Francisco should not have been con
sidered in the light of charity. They
were entitled to what the people OF thu
country had given them.
Promptly upon the arrival of DR.. De
vine in San Francisco he sent TO,
Htrained charity workers. and put sal
AIRED local people into the service. H
instituted methods of investigation ant
distribution that often resulted in tn
applicants waiting three or four weeks
for some necessity. In many cases tn
discouraged men or women gave up al
E5tOSebucI OF IeCc1Feu Tie uSlp ny SO1l
F. other route.
i A case in point, that of a dressmake,
| II brings the working of the expensive
| scientific machinery out into the igh
| | of day. With the Endorsement of on
/ II of the best-known women of San Fran
1 cisco, she asked for sewing machin
4 which would enable her to make he
own living and that Of an aged fathe
4 and mother dependent upon her. Thr
/ stupid confusion of orders in the CON
plicated system, her case was "invest
gated'' by three different workers,
and with all that she failed to get wha
i she asked, the means by which sh
would have promptly taken herself frol
III the list of dependents. Finally, thr
d the intervention Of an aggressive organ
i ization of consolidated Irish societie
A born out Of the desperation Of cond
tions, the dressmaker received cas-
allow ance of 5000, with which sh
bought sewing machine and furnishe
III few rooms for her helpless parents.
If it had not been for the clums
and heartless machinery Of DR.. D,
Ill vines methods, effective relief work Q