Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-19
APPEAL FOR CHARITY
Local Organizations Render
Community Service.
VIEWS OF GEO. S. WILSON
Tells of Preventive and Constructive
Philanthropy.
LETTER FROM JUSTICE BREWER
Member Of Supreme Court Of United
States Refers to Local Situa-
tion as Critical.

for the work of the Associated Charities
the Citizens Relief Association and the
Association for the Prevention of Con
sumption, that he feels that If the COM
munity could realize the extent and i'm
portance of the work Of those organic
tons the necessary funds would be
promptly contributed.
'"These volunteer organizations" he
said, ARE rendering the community a
service in preventive and constructive
philanthropy the value Of which 1t is i'm
possible to estimate. In the first place.
the intelligent cooperation OF local chart
ties brought about through the agency
of the Associated Charities has saved the
community many thousands of dollars an
nually. so that the total amount of money
now required for the general relief work
AMI for the constructive and preventive
work carried on throughout the year is
less than was formerly used In a few win
ter months for emergency relief alone.
The aim of these organizations. after
furnishing emergency relief, is to develop
in the family self-respect and self-help,
so that families in need of relief this
year may be raised above the need Of re-
lief next year. This is done by friendly
visiting and advice. by finding employ
ment and by the encouragement and col
lection Of savings through the provident
savings fund.
Extent Of the Work.
'Some idea of tho extent of the work
done among the poor by the Associated
Charities may be gained by the statement
Of the fact that during the last year
2O.745 visits were made to the homes of
the poor by the paid agents Of the asso-
citation and 46.4s3 visits were made by
volunteer workers under the direction of
the paid agents. The amount of savings
collected from families in the past year
was $12,153. This money will be drawn
upon by these families during the pinch
Of hard times in the coming winter to
provide food and fuel that would other
wise be necessarily provided from the gen.
eral relief funds.
1.-The work of these organizations is con-
tinued and is necessary throughout the en-
tire year. The most important work of pre-
ventlon and upbuilding cannot be done
during the few winter months. when the
pressure of emergency relief work is great
1t is of the utmost Importance to the COM
munity that these organizations should be
continued in their full activity throughout
the entire year, and / have the utmost
confidence that as soon as the community
fully realizes the character of the work
which they are doing and their present
need of financial support that the neces-
sary amount will be promptly contrib
uted."
Discussion Of Funds.
Plans for raising the remaining SIS. 900
necessary to complete the years charity
work. toward which the public is urged
to give every dollar possible, were dis
cussed at a meeting Of the joint finance
committee of the Associated Charities.
the Citizens Relief Association and the
Association for the Prevention of Tuber-
culosis held in the Metropolitan Bank
building yesterday afternoon.
Personal soliciting and house-to-h house
canvassing We're discussed, but will not
be taken up until other means fail. An
effort TO raise all or a part of the amount
will be made by written appeal to fifty
of the wealthiest residents of the city.
"A report by the secretary showed the
total receipts of the committee since Oc-
tober i last to have been SIS, 9Hi.3S. In
contrast it was pointed out for the similar
period of the preceding year the subscrip-
tons were more than SD 900. The COM
mittee estimates that S1o,2l1 more is
needed for this year.
Says Situation Is Critical.
A letter to Cuno IL. Rudolph, chairman
of the committee, from Justice David J.
Brewer of the Supreme Court of the
United States relative to the appeal was
read at the meeting. The letter follows:
May | say word to the appeal of
your committee to the people of Wash
!nSton for the S16,OW necessary to- con-
tinue the work of the Associated Char
tiles. the Citizens Relief Association. and
the ASSOCIATION for the Prevention of Tu-
berculosiS? The situation is critical. Con-
trlbutions throughout the winter have
been behind the usual donations. The
weather conditions. the generous response
to the appeals for the italian sufferers
and the inauguration proceedings have
all served TO divert attention from the re-
qutrements of these large local charities,
so that contributions thus far received
have been much less than those I'm prior
years
Now. one great element in the value
of the work of these OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
claliy the first and thirds permanence.
tuberculosis cannot be stamped out by
a single spasmodic effort, but calls for
steady work for years. The effort of the
Associated Charities is the building up
| of self-respect and the purpose of self
support in those who have little Or no
hope or faith in the possibilities of life.
This restoration is not accomplished by
any single or solitary effort.
Need Encouragement and Help.
1T requires continued encoura cement
and help. The managers of these organi-
cations are. as you know. serving with
out compensation. They watch all eX-
penditures with the greatest care and use
the funds placed in their hands as a
sacred trust. Constructive philanthropy
is their watchword Every means they
can reach is used to this end. Relatives,
churches. employers. friends are all ask
ed to aid In the rehabilitation of individ-
uals and families known to them. The
temporary relief of food. fuel and shelter
| is a mere instrument to the one end
that end being the uplifting of character,
the Strengthening of the will, the provid-
ing of opportunities for the poor to help
themselves.
In this work the financial support and
personal encouragement of every re-
sourceful citizen of Washington are need
ed. Can any ahord not to have part in
this effort on behalf of less fortunate
neighbors? These charities offer a safe,
sound investment whose returns will be
seen in more wholesome family life, a
healthier and more hopeful existence for