The Washington herald., 1908-04-02
AND CORRECTIONS

work in the big cities is that OF the Legal
Aid Societies Here the poor may find
lawyers fully capable OF securing redress
Tor their wrongs. II is almost beyond be-
heI now Tar some men Will go in getting
the last farthing from the poor and the
ignorant II is to fight this that these
societies have been established The one
IN New York. in the thirty-odd years Of
ITS existence, has recovered for charity
clients more than a million and quarter
collars, and has handled more than a
quarter Of a million cases. Its services
are always available 10 the poor who
have been wronged. and these people are
learning that fact more every year. Near-
~ ali the more progressive cities have
these aid societies. and they have proved
a Godsend 10 the people who have hitherto
Deen preyed upon by poverty vultures
One Of the leading charity institutions
.of the country is the New York Charity
Organizations. This body OF friends OF
the poor has been active for a little more
than quarter Of a century and in that
time has helped its millions. It founded
the Provident Loan Association OF New
York, which, during the recent financial
stress. lent $l0.G00000 70 those who needed
little aid 10 help them through their
hard times. 1t was from this organiza-
uon that MessrS- Devine < De Forest
were sent % San Francisco 10 help the
stricken city get on its feet. The work OF
Devine, who was practically placed in
charge Of the relief work Of the CITY. was
about the most gigantic task of lis kind
ever undertaken in this country. The re-
heI work at the time Of the General SIo-
cum horror was also superintended by
this organization. II is Interesting In this
connection 10 note that several cities
notable among these being Baltimore
nave permanently organized boards whose
duties are TO take care Of the local relief
work in any great national disaster.
Chicago has undertaken a new method
Of directing interest in charity. The Chi
cago City Club has arranged To erect .
$4,000 building TO be devoted TO its work
All young men who are interested IN civic
oetterneat may meet here ana find an
opportunity 10 lend a hand. They win
allsbe given an opportunity to do such
work as their gifts fit them to do. II IS
planned TO vitaliZe. through this agency.
al Of the latent force Of the young man
hood OF the city, and TO try 10 give TO
every young man OF ideas and purpose an
opportunity to take part in a great and
far-reaching effort TO make conditions
there better than they are TODAY 81
Louis IS also taking a somewhat new
stride in its campaign for the betterment
or the conditions of the poor II has
established a school Of philanthropy. and
here charity is 10 be reduced 20 an exact
science. Just now this school is investi-
eating the results OF outdoor charit, in
various counties OF Missouri. and also The
cost Of living in selected families m
workingmen. Other questions will also he
considered and the results made known
through the charity publications of the
country.
One OF the most important works Of tho
charitable organizations Of the big cities
is TO look after the new Americans. OF
the more than million who annually
come 10 our shores. there are thousands
who are without much else than a soul
and body and a desire to do sometime.
Especially among the women. there are
dangers that beset their PATHWAYS at
every point, and they would go down In
the struggle but for those who lend them
a hand. Chicago has recently organized a
work which gets in touch with the Chi
cago-bound immigrants as soon as they
land at Ellis Island, and watches over
them with fatherly care until they get
properly located in their new sphere.
The charity problem is more acute al
this time than it has been in many years.
Financial depression has left thousands
out OF employment. and as the high price
of living had left them but little for the
rainy day that has Overtaken them. thev
have 10 look for help from the outside.
Cincinnati came TO the rescue Of her un-
employed by making appropriations for
certain municipal work. Several thousand
men who would have otherwise been
without thing to DO were given the
means of tiding over their period Of en-
forced iGleness. It is estimated that
there are at least 7eO00 idle people in
Chicago, and double that number in New
York Relief has not been slow. how
ever, ard now that the time is coming
Tor the resumption OF contract work on
most public improvements and the Ike,
X Is expected that conditions viii soon
approximate the normal.
The Salvation Army estimates that il
gives shelter "a iO0o0 homeless people
every night Of the year. It's Industrial
department has given work 20 thousands
until they could get something better to
90 Are you willing 20 work." is the
test question il applies. and the man or
woman who answers yes" VIII usually
find place through its efforts. But the
one who is not willing TO work will end
himself out Of something TO eat at their
hotels. for their guiding maxim IS that
ne who is not willing TO work ought not
20 be given anything to eat
To-morrow-Academy OF Political
Science.