New-York tribune., 1907-12-31
DENY OVERORGANIZING.
Robert W. dc Forest Replies to
Cho71ty ORGANIZATION Society Critic.

earduc the annual report of the Charity Organf-
zation Society, which it did not deem proper 10
publish until it had been referred to the oficers
of the society:
To the Editor of The Tribune. -.
Sir: l wish to call to your attention the report Ir
of the Charity Organizstion Society for the year
ended SeDtember 50, 1907. showing the great eN =
pense of distributing comparatively small & ai"1 tn
b4 Of Tee the and nFuTes think are seny
sive need comment. =,
cluding salaries telephone. express printing. rent
furniture. etc, but not cent devoted drecuy 10
relief, follows:
i For the school of philanthropy 15osa so
CONDITIONS 2o274 %
Making total of something like sl3S.ooo for ad-
Their disbursements for relief during the year
reached total of $50 05s 90 but from this should be
sG'. SEQ IS and s. 752 the total amount therefore
tnaly expended for the relief of the poor being
under $4,000 They therefore expended during the
last year s65 for administration for every 500 ac-
tuay devoted to assistance to the poor , TINS IN n
Philanthropy and the Department for the Improve
en1 s nsbe to The es Of hese
departments is only one-quarter Of the whole
amount expended for administration
There is further included in the statement Of the
Charity ORGANIZATION Society a report of Charities
the last year were about 900 none of which
to active relief OF the poor
Does it not seem to you that the Charity Organi-
cation Society is somewhat overo!canized?
New York. December % 1897.
At the Charity Organization Society Robert W
De Forest its president yesterday denied these al
legations in a letter which he sent TO tho news
papers which had printed the original charges of
.overorganization." Mr.. De Forests statement fol-
lows.
A letter in your issue of to-day repeats the
thoushtless criticism that has been so frequently
that they eNpcnd more for nadmnistrstion . ina
repeating the explanation that such criticism Is
based entirely upon misconccption OF the work
general and OF the New York society in particular
Il is true that the amount OF material relief dis
past fiscal year about $500. and it is also
Of the rs ocis work 0 al was 0 larger sum It is
however. only of its many functions to obtain
The amount of material relief obtained by It
during the last fiscal year was $3.50 e9 The cost
relief Mas H42s o. and these adminstration ex-
pbianes bv the socety UPON III. nnderstandns
that actual cost OF distribution should be charged
Those who respond the appeals frequently
made through the newspapers BY the society for
the society acts as almoner. may understand that.
everything that they so contribute is distributed
without the deduction Of single cent for admin
Material relief Is only one kind OF service to the
poor The whole charity orsan1ation @ NOV movement Is
our less fortunate brothers and sisters IS confined
TO doles of money and the like. Not aims. but
friend is the motto of the new charity that sub
sttutes service for money whenever service can
York socie;y-that organized 10 find employment
for the Handicapped: that is. for those who suffer
some special disability and who by other employ
ment agencies are considered unemployablc-has
found steady work for such unfortunates during
the last few months at average of two place
ments a day; At wages averasins IS 80 a week:
This is far better for them and the community
than giving the in material relief.
Such service So does the work which is
now being given at the woodward OF the society TO
about ono hundred mon day who otherwise
might ne begging the streets The expenditures
Of the society for the prevention OF tuberculosis.
tenement reform, it's school of philanthropy
for the suppression OF mendcancy and the like
have relation material relief. hut OF far
more importance to the community than any mere
distribution of aims.
All this has been explained repeatedly. and Will
presumably have to be explained and over
again in the future. but each explanation will lead
better knowledge.