The Washington herald., 1908-03-02
Justice Explains Organized
Methods in Washington.
FEW MEASURES OF EFFICIENCY
for Relief Not Proper
Gauge of Good Enected-Stesdy
Reduction in Money Spent for Ma
teriaI Aid-PrOmotion of SeIf-sup-
pOrt-Cost of Personal Services.

son was published in The Washington
Herald. I shall be glad TO have this an
swer printed among other letters from
various citizens which you publish every
Monday
1 have also mailed to DR.. Nicholson, as
we shall be glad 10 mail 10 any inquirer
a copy Of the latest annual report, which
gives all the details concerning salaries
and other expenditures more fally than
is possible here.
Reason for Organizations.
One important reason for the mainte-
nance Of two separate organizations, the
Associated Charities and the Citizens Re
lief Association. is that the giving Of ma
terial relief is only one among many de-
partments OF our organized charity work.
To represent this relief department the
Citizens Relief Association has been
formed.
Any citizen who desires to have his
contribution used exclusively in the form
OF food, fuel. clothing. &c. may do so
through the Citizens Relief Association.
which has no administrative expenses, be-
cause its benehciaries are dealt with
through the Associated Charities.
In considering the salaries paid by the
Associated Charities. IL is important 10
remember that the association represents
great many departments OF social serv-
fee While It disbursed in material
relief during the past fifteen months
from the Citizens Relief Association and
the Golden Book Fund-SI3.7S5 il coll
lected in small savings from the poor
Sl6,009 This provident savings department
is one important feature Of It's work.
Wide scope OF Activities.
Another branch is the improvement or
housing conditions. through which fami-
lies are lifted above the need OF aims.
The crusade against tuberculosis is an
other department Summer outings and
Camp Good WIZ form another branch
Of the Associated Charities work.
The association inaugurated and estab-
lished the public Fairgrounds OF the city
IL played an important part in develop
ing our social settlements. The eElist-
ment and training Of volunteer workers
may be considered another department.
and 676 unpaid volunteer workers assisted
the paid agents last year.
A practical employment bureau may be
said 10 constitute another department. for
work was found for needy people in
1854 instances during the past fifteen
months Correctional or legal aid was
given IN 534 cases. = At5 families. spe-
cial care for neglected or needy children
was provided. including the special de-
partment through which destitute school
children are clothed 10 enable them 10
attend their classes.
Altogether. 7s.725 visits were made by
n fal = hr
past fifteen months. so that home visiting
might be mentioned as another special
department
In considering. therefore, the amounts
expended for salaries. one must not sim
ply compare these expenditures with the
amount OF material relief disbursed. but
must consider the whole scope Of work
accomplished.
Test of Efficiency.
Some citizens have been inclined 10
test any charity by comparing the
amount spent for material relief with
amounts spent for personal service; the
larger the relief expenditure, the better
the charity
BY that standard II would be well for
Washington TO return to the DAYS when
$4,000 was disbursed in a single season
IN such indiscriminate relief that team
sters and servant girls left their employ
ment and depended upon aims The
whole system Of charity In Washington
now costs much less than $4,000. and idle
ness IS no longer encouraged.
A steady reduction in amounts spent
for material relief and In the number OF
families aided IN this one way has been
one Of the best achievements of the As
soeiated Charities. IF the organization is
20 be tested by the comparison between
relief expenditures ard money spent for
personal service. then it's work Is grow
/ ing worse constantly.
For example. the association dealt with
2473 families in 1899. and gave material
relief 10 1.S4S families. In 1907 II dealt
with 5.sO6 families. but reduced the num-
Der requiring material relief to 1.24s.
We believe that IT is wiser to spend
$40 in enabling family to support them
selves than TO give s. In material aims
which do not increase the energy. am
bition. or earning power Of the house
hold
Work of Paid Agents.
Now. all this large constructive work,
which can only suggest family in this
short letter. required the paid services Of
competent, trained people.
think that any business man who Will
examine the work accomplished by these
paid agents viii agree with me that It
far exceeds in quantity and quality the
returns secured by similar expenditures
in other lines of business or professional
work. This is because the workers are
all actuated principally by spirit OF pro-
found devotion, so that they are willing
n Themselves
smaller compensation than they could
readily secure elsewhere.
The monthly salaries paid to workers
giving their entire time are as follows:
General secretary, SOS; general agent.
$50; eight division agents, $4l to $50: two
clerks. $S5 10 $43; stenOgrapher, SS5; re-
corder, $40; janitor-messenger $S5. and
extra visiting and typewriting service oc-
casionally in rush seasons, SIS TO $40 each
worker.
These figures are simply copied from
the latest annual report, which also give
the names of employees and answer the
other questions suggested by your in
quirer.
We simply ask each citizen TO apply 10
the Associated Charities the TEST by
which he judges himself and his own
business. namely. the practical test Of
results accomplished.
IL will always give pleasure to any Of
fcer Of the association 10 receive frank
criticisms, questions, and suggestions
from any person interested We are glad
TO send detailed reports 10 any inquirer,
and we solicit visits az any time TO any
OF our Offices.
The only thing ve have 10 fear is the
Indifference which VIII prevent citizens
from learning about our work and the