The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-04-13
.RAPO Stun WORKERS
Catholic Priest Advises RiiS
TO Labor Uptown.
SCORES THE CHILDLESS RICH
New York Divine says if Wealthy
Persons Love Children They Would
Have Some of Their Own-CaIls
Settlement Work a "BluR"-No
Failure for the Church.

New York, April l2.-Rev. Father James
3, Curry, pastor Of ST. James Church, in
James street. on the Lower East Side,
has some very pronounced views on the
subject of the work of the social settle
ments
Dr. Curry thinks they have quite too
much to do with certain parts of the city
and altogether too much to say about
them. Moreover. he thinks that the peo-
pie working in them might better engage
themselves with the task Of reformation
Of morals IN higher parts Of the city.
He went SO far in addressing mis- parish
toner's to-day as to impugn the sincerity
Of the settlement workers.
He denounced those among them who
we're ohildless. though married. and said
| that the settlement workers took unfair
advantage of the people of the down
town sections in representing them as
hoboes and swamp dwellers In order TO
touch" the generous citizens for liberal
contributions. OF these contributions 90
per cent, Father Curry said. went TO the
support Of the workers and only a tenth
10 the people whom they were supposed
to benefit
They are exploiting the people Of this
section, which they call "the slums' and
the social swamp, by pictures and
stories IN newspapers and magazines for
the accumulation of large revenue.
They know" he said that the gen
erous New Yorker. ignorant Of the true
conditions, is susceptible 20 these stories
Of the Sums, which are augmented by
artistic conceptions of poverty, squalor.
ana filth
Calls 1t Confidence Game.
They proclaim their activity in these
fields for moral. social, and physical I'M
provement and undertake to dispense the
charitable contributions OF those who
have been taken in in the confidence
game.
AS 20 their purposes for the moral
betterment of this section. 1 want TO
say that their efforts would be better
directed in the ne.ghborhoods Of the
rich uptown They will find more i'm
morality there. Their visits 10 the homes
OF the poor people here are only a bluff
at charity. Their purpose is TO spy into
the homes. to gaze into the private closets
and 10 reveal the family skeletons
wherever found The home Of the poor
man is as much his castle as is that Of
the rich man and it is entitled TO privacy
and respect
MIR. Riis has opened a settlement
house In this parish for our children.
According 10 a magazine article. he has
been engaged IN settlement work in this
section for the past fourteen years. try
ing TO improve moral conditions. but it
is conceded that he has not been sue
cessful
No Failure for Church.
The Catholic Church has no such fail
ure to admit If the condition Of this
neighborhood has improved over that of
former years IL is not due 70 the activi-
ties of Mr. Riis. Il is just one year ago
tina; I began crusade against the vice
and dissoIuteness on our side Of Chatham
Square. and 1 have cleaned it of the
evils for which It was becoming noted.
yet Mr. Riis comes 20 this neghbor-
hood with a settlement house for our
children. What is his purpose? When
I warned the children Of this parish
against this house. / told them it was a
charitable society. It is listed as such
In the Charities Directory, where the
purpose of the society is stated as being
moral. physical, and spiritual betterment
of conditions. Who anointed Mr.. Riis
and his co-workers with the power 10
look after the spiritual wants Of our
children?
rs it for the purpose of perl5etuating
the Protestant Church or is it because
of a true love for our Catholic children?
1t cannot be for the love Of our children.
If they loved children. they would