Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-06
RELIEF FOR hungry
Chicago Takes Up Problem OF
Unfed School Children in
Earnest
THE CAUSES WILL BE SOUGHT
improper Cooking and Ignorance is
Blamed for Some Of the Troubles Of
nutrition-Necessity of Relief is
Urgent and Homes Will Be Inspected
Very Soon.

Chicago. Oct. 6.-An investigation of
the reports that thousands of school
children are underfed was ordered last
night by the city council, which re-
sumed its work after the summer va
cation. The committee on schools was
instructed to inquire into the situation
and recommend measures of relief.
The attention of the council was
called to the matter when Alderman
Hurt introduced the resolutions adopt
ed by the Federation of Labor calling
upon the aldermen to establish kitch-
ems for the feeding of the unfortunates.
The resolutions were read at length by
spoke in their support
Necessity for Relief Urged.
NO more alarming condition has
been brought to the attention OF this
council in many years" said the alder
man. when you are told that 5000
children are hungry all the time and
that 10000 more are only half fed you
are face to face with a big problem.
Something must be wrong and it is up
to us to find out what 1t Is.
II ann convinced that the city should
act in this matter and act promptly IL
the conditions are found to be as
startling as they are pictured in the
newspapers. lit seems to be incumbent
upon the board of education to take up
this problem and solve it. Children
don't go to school because they want
to, but because they have TO- There
fore it is up to the board of education
to see that they are we'll taken care
of
Upon motion OF Alderman Hurt the
council unanimously referred the mat
ter to the committee on schools with
instructions to confer with the board
of education and report recommends
,tions
Problem is Serious One.
The heads of the city government
and of the school board made arrange
ments in the morning for gathering
of municipal officials and officers of
charitable organizations to fix upon
definite immediate plan of relief. AT
noon the executive committee of the
civic federation took action looking to-
ward an elaborate investigation OF
conditions in the poorer homes of the
city.
AT both conferences 1T was agreed
that the problem has developed into
bigger one than any one anticipated.
and that the immediate providing OF
food is the smallest part of the task
to be undertaken.
Between the educated parent who
is too proud to ask for help and the
man who always is eager to be de-
pendent there is dilemma that is al
most impossible of solution" said Pres
ident Schneider of the board of educa-
ton. ",rhere must be investigation. We
must get at the dissolute, worthless pa
rents. We can do great mischief If we
indulge in indiscriminate charity.
A definite plan OF relief work is eN-
pected to result from this meeting. Ii
it does not the initiative will be taken
at once by the civic federation SIX
members of the federation's executive
body met at the Woman's Temple at
noon. prepared TO take immediate &C
ton for starting relief measures, but
when they heard of the conference
planned for today they declded TO
withhold their plans long enough to
"see what turns up"
Homes Will Be Inspected.
"The committee feels that some
thing ought to be done Immediately to
relieve need in the homes" said Secre-
tary Brown Of the civic federation
"but we don't want to thrust ourselves
in ahead of any one else.
"Our plan. as far as it is formulated
is to organize corps of skilled IN
spectors to go into the homes and get
the truth about these chidren's par
ents. 1t is easy to collect money, but
unless we go into the homes we VIII
encourage pauperism. We feel that the
school board or the city government is
warranted in making an appropriation
for temporary relief If either sees ht
but that 1t is for the private organlza-
tions to undertake to eradicate the
cause of these conditions.
| "Absolute lack of food is not the