The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-02-18
LECTURES ON SLUMS
DR.. Frankel Describes New
York Conditions.
SPEAKS TO JEWISH SOCIETY
Asserts There IL No Such Word as
Charity in the Hebrew. but that
Justice Conveys Proper Meaning 10
People of His ReIiEion-Tenement
Affairs in Metropolis Pictured.

DR. Lee FrankeL Of New York. spuKe
before the Council of Jewish Women at
the Jewish temple last night.
In the absence Of Mrs Charles Cold
smith president of the Council Of jew
ish Women, the vice president Of the
society. Mrs. A. NJ Bacr. presided. Or.
FrankeI spoke on conditions Ia the
slums Of New York, and pictured the
average tenement house family, show
ing how handicapped most of the Ia
bcrers are in the matter OF meeting eX-
peuses.
There is no such word as charity
in the Hebrew, said DIT. Frankel and
there has never been Charity is not
of Jewish origin. The nearest 10 char
lty is the Hebrew word for Justice.
Justice conveys the whole idea OF char
lty TO the Jewish race. Kind acts and
bcncvolence TO your neighbor does not
necessarily constitute charity"
Hates English Poor Law.
The lecturer SAID that if It were pos
s!hle 20 entertain a grudge against an
inanimate object. he certainly hated
the old English poor law. BY it's mad
( eQUacy and injustice it was the cause
Of more Imprisonment and suffering by
reason Of inability 20 pay debts than
any natural cause I'm the makeup OF
man
Ignorance is the cause Of nine-tenths
OF tho Inability to make both ends meet.
said Mr. FrdnkeL More of the poverty
and Indebtedness OF the slums can be laid
at the door OF ignorance than any out
ward influence. Living costs as much i'm
Washington as In New York. You might
get moro for your money as far as rent
goes. but take it al I'm all the poor IN
/ New York get along Just about as well
AS can be expected. II there were more
men who received so week. there would
not be such struggle 20 keep from
going into debt But, unfortunately. most
of the men get s. or 81. or perhaps s. or
/ 81 week. Even men supporting large
families get such small pay
Wonderful Discoveries.
/ Some wonderful discoveries were made
! by the different missions in New York.
and Dr. Frankel told OF the inspection OF
I the slum district. which revealed how
/ the average poor family lived Seven
hundred families were investigated most
/ Of whom were in the tcuemeutS inhabited
+ 10y Hebrews. and by CHASING them into
groups OF men earning 500. $50. and S500
As an example he took one family Of
FIVE persons in Tho son group, and told
/ OF the inside workings OF the household
Z that figured in the daily expenses of~the
( family.
AS "a rule. according 10 the average OF
: the 800 families investigated. Sc is spent
on rent More frequently there are three
rooms. but sometimes there are only two
which constitute the abode of this fam
/ lily Of FIVE Only one family I'm ten has
! a place in which 90 battle An investiga-
ton had been made OF one entire block
/ in the tenement district in which there
was not a single bathtub. Most OF the
utensils hung on the walls for lack Of
space.
The yearly expenses of the family are
! Interesting Only s. q year is spent on
! furniture for the entire family. and If
any additional furniture is needed il
must be gotten on the enstallment plan.
The Cost of Food.
about $40 year is spent for food
Outside lunches alone cost the head Of
I the family about SIS a year. Clothes cost
a family SSl a year Doctors bills are
| large in the Sums. and they wholly ig-
more the dentist and the medical dis
Z DfilHftt1 OF lttt AihHHlldiS. NIelt llFE
could be treated free. Only nine persons
out Of seventy-siX had use for q dentist. -"
! he continued
/ Ignorance is apparent everywhere
( Our schools have never until recently
/ taught the essential things that viii be
/ of benefit 20 our children when they
grow up. and IL is the wife's ignorance
I Of cooking and household duties that
cause the deserted Wife
/ Mrs. Levi David played "a selection on
/ the piano. and Mrs. Kitty Thompson
I Berry sang two solos, Spring" aud
/ "ROsdlie"