Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-07

Herald All Rights RcserYedl
NEW YORK. Saturday.
n ERE comes one with one million dollars
I which he is willing to give 20 some charity
I which is officially recommended by the state
Board of Charities. Many guesses have been
made as to the identity of the mysterious
hepefactor and hundreds of suggestions from "'
classes Of the community have poured in upon officials
and into the newspaper offices as to the best ulspos
tiop which could be made of so large sum in dihs
the worthy poor and in promoting the welfare OF
mankind.
..What would you do?" prominent worker in the
realm of scientific charity was asked "if you had AT
your disposal so large a sum to do with as you
pleased Is there any vital need of humanity? Does
anything occur you the instant as something
which must be done? Is there any new charityF
"If | had that much money to spend, he maze
reply well, | would first sit down and thihk Tor
week before / would make any plans mt ALL
"You can't call to mind anything newT' he was
asked.
"Nothng," was the response, except what is al
ready covered in a measure by existing agencies.
Most discussions of this kind go wide of the marx
lust as did the first calculation in Poes story OF
"The Gold Bug" The slight misunderstanding o.
terms mt the start increases the angle Of error as
the investigation proceeds. What is charity? The
dictionary says it is benecence to the poor; DeneVo-
lence almsgving relief for the needy
The dictionary does not seem to know the modern
acceptation of the word That Is not modern char-
ity-Charity Organization charity or State Board OF
Charities charity. Charity of the day is misnomer
AT the very beginning of the search for new char
ity we meet a confusion of terms The professional
dispenser of charity is cautious and satistical; he
subordinates relief investigation and advce he is
the almoner of the uplift
Poverty to him is disease due principally to
physical or mental defects in the applicant for aid
or to deficiencies in character and incidentally. he
believes-although he is generally very conservative
valued contrbutors-that there may be something In
the constitution society which is out of gear SO
It is that "charity" called has become largely APP
ned sociology The cost of its administration,
which devolves upon many trained and professional
assistants great and includes an inolerable dear
of card ndices and special bookkeeping and often Is
in excess of the money given out for food ana gro
ceries and coal.
On the face of things there seems to be no lack of
hene6cent agencies Organization is everywhere
Tbe directory of the Charity Organization Society
teens with well sounding names or coter1es which
constructively minister to the unfortunate. On the
classified list are agencies for the care and relief OF
needy FAMILIES in their homes, day nurseries. kinder
gartens fresh air societies. legal aid societies, leagues
for relief national and international caamties re-
lief for foreigners The destitute and neglected chill
dren are the objects of solicude in many ways, and
for them are provided asyums, homes, cheap lodging
houses chdrens societies. childrens courts and re-
formatores Here permanent and temporary
homes for the "grownups,' municipal, State and ma
fional The sick aided by numerous hospitals,
public and semipublic and by homes for the incur