Evening star., 1909-04-18
DR. K0BER TEST|F|ES
Tells of Work Accomplished
by Associated Charities.
ABUSES DONE AWAY WITH
Permanent Dependency Discouraged
by Providing Remedies.
PRACTICAL PROJECTS HELPED
Sanitary Housing Companies and
Public Playgrounds-Preven-
tion Of Disease.
PRACTICAL PROJECTS HELPED

Urging the public or washington to re-
spond to the appeal of the joint finance
committee Of the Associated Charities.
the Citizens Relief Association and the
Association for the Prevention of Tu-
berculosis for about $500 for the COM
pletion Of this years budgets, DR.. George
NJ. Kober. an expert on the condition Of
the poor of the city and a member OF
the homes commission of President
Roosevelt, said yesterday:
Il deeply regret that the joint finance
committee has difficulty in raising the
required funds for the ensuing year. l
had hoped that the good people Of this
city had long since realized that an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure,
and that preventive work in charity. as
in disease, is the most effective of all
efforts
Such work requires trained agents and
salaried officers. But it is surely sounder
business policy to spend $4,000 in the
prevention of poverty and distress than
terial relief without due investigation
into the dependency of the applicants,
and thus pauperize the community.
mo one should give aims indiscrimi-
nately. Charity must be sifted from
abuse.
Remedies for Dependencies.
1T should be matter of great satis-
faction to any one to feel that no de-
serving case is ever turned away from
the doors of the Associated Charities
without adequate relief. If there is evi-
dence that immediate help is necessary it
is promptly rendered, but before such
applicants are treated as permanent de-
pendents the causes are investigated and
suitable remedial measures applied
In addition to all this, our agents and
friendly visitors inculcate provident haL4ts
by collecting over $12. 900 q year from the
least resourceful people as stamp savings
deposits for emergency purposes, and by
doing so stimulate similar habits of thrift
and economy among the great army Of
better paid wage earners.
1T Is not generally known that in 1907
over $4,000 persons received free medi-
cal treatment in the medical charities OF
this city, and that the Associated Chari-
ties. by inquiring into the dependency
of applicants. has reduced this frightful
abuse fully One-half Apart from this,
the Associated Charities has been most
helpful in the establishment of the sani-
tary housing companies. whose object is
the erection of sanitary houses at rea-
sonable rentals.
This same agency also established the
public Fairgrounds and summer outings
and social settlements, in the interest of
health. morals and good citizenship. The
Associated Charities was also instru-
non-support law. by which deserving hus-
bands are compelled, under penal re-
straint, to contribute to the maintenance
of their wives and children.
Prevention of Disease.
THE Association for the Prevention of
tuberculosis is likewise child of organ
ized charity which realizes that health is
the chief asset of the workingman and no
greater calamity can befall him than
when his earning capacity is impaired or
arrested by reason of sickness or. disa-
bility. tuberculosis means. in many
instances. the utter financial ruin Of the
family, and Is doubtless one of the most
potent causes OF poverty and distress.
''The records Of the health Office show
that during the past twelve years there
were 1854 deaths from consumption in
this city, 4.286 white and 5,288 colored
These deaths involved financial loss to
the community of $3.S13, 500. or an average
Does 1t pay to institute efforts toward
the prevention Of this disease? The an
swer will be found in the fact that .ue
death rate from consumption in this
white race from 3.3 per 1,OO0 in 1873 to l.3
in 1907. and In the colored race from 6v
to 4.6 during the same period.
"All such preventive work involves both
money and education. Those who cannot
invest in housing companies can at least
contribute their mite to the employment
Of trained agents engaged in the preven-
ton of sickness and distress. or render
what is far better, some personal service
in uplifting work.
who can deny the influence of a
friendly visitor in teaching his fellow
man the value Of clean house, proper