Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-12
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any time These stamps are pasted into
a book and the family knows at all times
| just what it has saved. Then when the
| hard part of the year comes around they
lean draw on this little fund if they are
obliged to. and if they are not Obliged to
! they are encouraged to start bank ac-
! count. and in many cases they have
done so.
! ''In this way between $4,000 and SIC
GOO has been collected and saved each
year for the last three years. and more
! than $7S,WN in all has been collected
! since the stamp system was started
"A word ought to ne said in regard
| to the summer outings committee. This
, is one of the committees of the Associated
.larities. During the heated months it
attempts to give Il breath of fresh air
and a glimpse of the green woods and
fields to some of the tired mothers and
pale children who would otherwise spend
/ their whole summer in the city. 1t has
established two camps outside of the
| city, one for the white and one for the
colored women and children.
| Last year 80 mothers and children
were thus sent to Camp Goodwill, and
| 16O to Camp Pleasant. 1t also gives car
| rides to the mothers and children who
are unable to go out of the city. Dur
! ing the last eight years it has given
this refreshing experience nearly 10000
| times. Such facts speak for themselves
They are more eloquent than the tongue
OF angels.
"The Associated Charities has another
distinct value. 1t is important to have
! in every community body organized and
ready at hand that can take up and push
! forward special lines of work, such as
securing new and better laws and the re-
moving of old abuses.
'In this way the association through,
up the matter Of better housing Of the
; poor, of Fairgrounds for the children,
of the opening up of filthy alleys, for
the prevention and cure of tuberculosis,
the publication of the milk supply, the
law for establishing the Juvenile Court,
the law to compel Sinking husbands
and fathers to support their families
and other kindred movements. 1t is
not pretended that all Of the good that
has been done along these lines has
been done by the association, but
good part of it has.
They have all received great stimulus
from it and 1t is not too much to say
that some of them would probably have
waited for years except for it's powerful
initiative.
Followed in Other Cities.
The plan of work pursued is not pc
culiar to Washington. 1t was not invented
here. 1t is the plan adopted in every pro-
business like, practical graphing of COM
mon sense with the Facts Of poverty. 1t
has been proved over and over again
that mere almsgiving breeds poverty.
The more you give the more you may.
unless you do something more than
merely give. To seriously criticise the
general plan of work of the Associated
Charities is to take up the gauntlet for
an outworn and discredited method of
dealing with the poor, and few, If any.
will be willing to do it who have any
knowledge of the facts. Yet the criti-
cisms that have been made. mostly
from misconceptiOn and from want of
Information, are seriously embarrassing
the work.
People are not always unwilling to be-
lieve that there is some good reason why
they should not give or that it is at
least doubtful whether it is wise to give.
For men who have never given dol
lar to the work of the association them
selves to stand back and raise the voice
of uniformed criticism against it and
thereby deter others from coming to
the support of beneficent work is a
responsibility which any good man ought
to tremble at the thought of taking. No
one who has heretofore contributed
ought to withhold a renewal by reason
of anything that has been said Or shown.
No one who has been willing to bear
his share of dealing with the problem of
poverty in this city in a wise and help
full way ought to remain a non-contrih-
utor.
1.-The Associated Charities is doing his
work--the work he would be bound in
all humanity TO do himself, if it was not
doing it. and lie is bound by every con-
sideration of honor to come to its assist
ancc. 1t need not be a large contribu-
tion. No one should be ashamed to send
because he cannot send more than dol
lar If a great number would send this
small sum it would put the association
on more solid basis and on more
encouraging one than to have it rest on
! the larger subscriptions of the few.
I've do not forget that vast amount
I IL hai nfls,
wisely done, by other charitable orders,
! churches and societies. hut there is not
one of these whose work is not made
easier and more effective by the organi-
alton and records OF the Associated Char-
| tiles.
I'VE have not overlooked the second
criticism. namely. that the business might
| be conducted with more economy. but
saving could be made without detriment
| to the work.
"It is necessary to maintain the Offices,
both central and branch. Some criticism
was made of the amount spent for car
| tickets but we think it is not justified
when we remember how many visits the
workers are called on to pay. The same
may be said Of the telephone bills. Tn
| less the telephone and street car cOmpa-
MES can see their way clear 10 furnish free
service to charity workers We do not
| know how these expenses can be cur
tailed. The salaries paid are none too
4 u
| The former secretary was called
away to receive larger salary. We
must not forget that there is a large
amount of work done by unpaid assist
ants. They fall into line and form a
valuable part of the force. and their
work is made possible by the existence
of We'll organized system.
| "One item of expense might be
greatly reduced. not by the Associa ted
Charities but by us. 1t Is the cost of
! obtaining subscriptions. 1t cost nearly
"a tenth of the whole amount collected
to collect il. If We would send in our
subscriptions without waiting for its
appeal--and certainly without waiting
for repeated appeals--we should make
Its work much easier and less cx-
/ pensive.
Financial System Admirable.
'In short. we find the financial system
! is admirable and accurate. carefully
| audited at regular intervals and offers
no opportunity for Misrepresentation or
! planned and well administered: that due
has done and is doing a great and indis
pensable work III this community. and is
entitled To the heartiest support and
| confidence of all the citizens
Accompanying the report 10 the COM
missioners was special report by Mr..
Berliner regarding the association
bookkeeping; report by Gen. Sternbers
on administration: report by Rev. Father
Kerby as to the work of the eight divi-
sion Officers; Mr.. Macfarland's report
| touching the SDecial committees and