The Washington times., 1910-05-12
Investigators Report Charges
Against Associated Body
TO Be Unfounded.
COST OF WORK NOT
TOO HIGH, THEY SAY
Business Is Economically Conduct
ed and the Officers Deserve
Confidence.

That the Associated Charities has
done. and Is doing a great and indis-
Densable work IN s7is community, and i
entitled 70 the heartiest support and
confidence Of all the citizens is the re-
port Of the commission appointed %
9nvestisate the affairs OF the association,
submitted 10 the Commiss-51crs Of the
District today
The commission consists Of Justice
Wendau P Stafford. Henry b r Mac
IarIand. George N Sternberg. William
knowles Cooper. Tire Rev William X
Eerby. NJ l. Berliner, and Thomas Mel
son Page.
II was appointed by the Commission
ers following public criticisms OF the
methods OF the Associated Charities
chief Of which was that too large
proportion Of its funds was devoted 10
the payment Of salaries.
A public hearing was given by the
commission TO which were invited the
critics Of the organization The sub
stance OF the commission report, after
q thorough investigation Of the charges
Is thai the criticism Of the association
was unfOunded-
Report Of the Committee.
There were two principal criticisms
called TO our attention. - says the report
First that too large a share Of the
POUNDS contributed went 10 pay the
workers and keep up the business or
ganization, and too little for supplying
food. clothing, and fuel for the poor
second, that the business administration
OF thC- Associated Charities was not
conducted as economically as might be
We have given careful attention TO
both or these POINTS All the money
given 10 the Associated Charities goes
70 pay the eEpe0eS Of administration.
All the money given to the Relief 8SSo-
cation goes 10 material relief If this
4dcL IS thoroughly understood by the
COntrl buCor he can have no ground of
complaint and no one else has right
70 object
Amount OF Money Handled
The amount spent by the Associated
Charities for administration last wear
was a little less than $4,000: the amount
Il distributed for the Relief Association
was about $500 The amount II ex-
pended in the work Of summer outings
was about s. 050- while IL distributed
relief something over $500, making in
al an amount about equal TO the cost
Of administration.
The officers Of the association do not
ask OF receive any pay, but they en-
play the hest workers they can get for
the money TEsV keep I'D a system ttl7;
VIII keep their workers into touch with
cases OF s1fter1 Is and need, they appeal
20 you for funds 10 help them carry. or
the work. and they keep a record Of
all the cases they deal with, so that
you can see whether they have done
what they ought 10 do and so that they
can know wethsr any one who appea5s
70 them Tor aid has been aided before
and why.
What They Try to Do.
What they Try to do IS TO remove the
coUse Of distress. and put the weak
person on his feet II he IS sick help
him 70 get well: II ne is out OF work
help him TO q Job. II he is stranded
snd wants TO go 70 his friends 10 help
him on his way.
IF a family is being abused ana
neglected by a shiftless, drunken father,
70 have him attended TO- put IN the
v-orkhol1Se- If necessary and his earn
inEs applied to the support OF his family
is II costing too much 20 keep up
This business Office and pay these Work
srs2 We have gone into that question
thoroughly and we are al satisfied that
Ed * not The money IS vel spent Com
DaTed with the condition Of things be
fore the Associated Charities was put
on its present basis. some fifteen years
ago, We are making q great saving
Association Stopped Begging
Then we spent more than twice
the money we so spend now and we
spent IL in iudfscriminate charity, the
streets were fuI Of beggars. and
there was constant begging from
house 10 house. Now there is prac-
ticaIly no begging
The fact is that under the present
system charity is dispensed in a IJs--!-
ness-like way. help is given after a
TRTeful inquiry into the circum-
stances Of the case and a record kept