The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-27
SELF HELP IS THE BEST

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What would you think Of doctor
who prescribed for his patient without
first learning exactly what his ailment
was? How successful would jeweleI
be who thought he could repair q
watch without opening the case? asks
Courtenay Dinwiddie, secretary Of the
Associated Charities Of Duluth, in The
Duluth Herald recently.
"A thorough investigationin helping
a family In need of assistance is even
more important to the charity work
err t'ran the correct diagnosis OF the
physician ar the close examination to
the jeweler. The physician cannot
pretend to himself that he il not com
hitting malpractice when he treats his
patient without making a thorough di-
sgnosig, and the watch simply will not
run II the jeweler does not discover
and remedy the real cause of the trou-
BILE. On the other hand, 1t Is usually
the easiest course for the relief worker
TO give what is necessary, whether in
food fuel, rent or clothing, to relieve
the immediate distress, and to leave
the study of the real underlying
causes of the distress and the best
methods of doing away with them, un-
I'll the family has become one Of
chronic paupers
The knowledge and experience of
those in charitable work are like the
circumference of the ever widening
circle. When 1t is very small 1t comes
In contact with comparatively few
points that seem not to have been
covered. But as 1t grows larger it
touches on an increasing vastness of
UNEMPLOYED territory So the relief
worker is apt to be delighted at the
prompt and satisfactory results got
ten from helping his first cases" lit
tie realizing that he has seen only the
most superficial problems ard that his
work will have to be done over again
unless he can go deeper and cure the
real troubles that brought about the
conditions he is trying to improve.
Not Cold and HsartIess.
Some people regard the charity that
investigates as a cold and heartless
one that spends Its money in salaries
instead Of in relief to the poor. In
reality the charity that does not in
vestigate and doles out relief, leaving
the recipients no more independent or
self-supporting in the end than they
were in the beginning, is the most
cruel, although it is unintentional cru
city. If the man or woman who gives
a quarter to those who ask for help,
without really knowing anything about
their circumstances and needs, or how
the money will be spent, could follow
his supposed benefciaries and see how
he has helped to confirm them in lives
OF pauperism and often of drunken
ness, he would realize that II might
take years to undo what he has done
IT. he could have taken the time to
find work or whatever else was most
needed for just one applicant, he would
have done more good than he could do
by doing out quarters all his life.
"A few of the many things an inves-
tigation may show and often does
show, are:
II. That the thing asked for by the
applicant for aid would be pitifully in.
adequate to help him to independence.
~. That friendly help in securing
suitable work or in overcoming diff
culties that to the discouraged mar
or woman seem insurmountable, will
90 far more good than merely an or
der OF groceries or a small cash loan.
8. That the man who is down and
cut has been the victim of his early
reputation, like the dog in adage who
10 given a bad name, and what he most
needs Is real friend to stick by hin.
and make him believe in himself again.
4. That there are readily available
sources Of relief which have not been
thought of by those in need.
5. That there are physical weak
nesses in parents or children. such as
poor eyesight, adenoids, etc, which
may have had much to do with hinder
ing the family's progress and which
are durable
Investigation Work.
One Of the important objects Of the
Of the Associated Chart
ties was that 1t should be prepared to
make thorough investigations of cases
OF distress for all who wished such
Investigations. This is one part cf
our contract with the people of Du-
luth, that so far as we have been able
70 fulfill only in a measure Other
Things even more necessary as first
steps have had to be given earlier con-
sideration. There is not much use
In finding that what man most needs
Is work If you cannot give him work.
For that reason and to discourage beg
ging and vagrancy the work at the
Point of Rocks to tide men over until
they can secure steady jobs, was one
OF the very first things to be secured,
through the public spirited action of
the common council. Similarly the
care of the sick, by a visiting nurse.
secured through the efforts of the
Womans council, was prime consid-
Grafton So the collection of names
OF families helped by the different