The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-07-20
SEEK TO AID THOSE IN NEED
Facts Secured by the Association Will
Not be Made Public but Charitable
Organizations Will be Given Needed
Information



associated Charities of Kenosha, has
given out statement making further
explanation of the plan for census of
the dependents of KenOsha in order
that the people of the city may be bet
ter acquainted with the work that is
planned to be done. In her statement
she says:
There are two important truths with
regard to the card catalogue of de
pendents which is being compiled by
the Associated Charities which have
not yet been brought to the attention
of readers of the Kenosha Evening
News. You have been reminded of the
saving financially to contributors to
the poor through the use of the cata-
logue. This is one of the purposes of
the catalogue-but it is not the most
important one. Every charitable or
ganization exists first in the interest
OF those in distress and only secondar-
lily in the interest of contributors.
Those familiar with the idea of regis
ter of dependents believe that it's
greatest possible achievement is the
cooperation effected among those chart
Sably inclined and through this CO.
operation the more intelligent applica-
zion of funds for the relief of families
in distress. IL you are helping a poor
family, and are laboring under the
delusion that you are the only contri-
butor, how would you feel upon dis
covering accidentally that Mr.. x. is
also contributing? Might not the fol
lowing very easily happen? You con-
+ribute a generous supply of clothing
10 ct out the A family. Shortly after
bestowing your general donation, you
see little Mary A wearing new dress
which was not included in your pack
age. The following evening Mrs. A
appeals to you to help with rent. With
clear conscience you refuse the aid
eondemning in your mind the foolish
extravaganza of Mrs. A. Is it not per-
fectly possible for Mr.. X to pass
through the2same experience and arrive
BIT the same conclusion? And mean
while what of the anxious mother w.
ing awake nights in her vain effort to
plan a way of meeting the eviction
notice already threatened? How in
tnitely wiser and kinder would it be
for MIR. X to know that you are inter
ested and for you to know that he is
contributing-for you two to get to-
gether and plan one to assist with rent,
another with clothing, until Mr.. A can
again recover his health or, if Mrs. A is
widow, until her children are of
IN age to help her.
You reply chat the family you are
helping is an honorable one and would
hell you if Mr.. X were helping. You
30 not stop to consider that if you
had experienced the financial crisis
through which this family has just
passed, your very instinct would guide
you TO an almost parasitic thrift. Do
not then blame the family for failing
to volunteer the information, but rath-
er yourself for failing to be sufficient
ly interested to find out. And why
should you find out2 For two reasons:
First, that you and Mr.. X may get to-
gether and work in cooperation with
each other rather than that each of
you continue to work in darkness dupIi-
eating or interfering with each other
in your uncorrelated efforts to help
the family Second, that in your over
zeal to help you may not through over
generosity work greater harm than
benefit We are all of us human. If a
generous would e-friend removes the
stimulus to work by supplying every
need regardless of our own exertions.
most of us would soon enter the ranks
of the sons and daughters of rest. We
are entitled to labor for our dailv
bread ana who removes the necessity
for this among able bodied people
works greater calamity than he knows
or can in one lifetime repair.
The second fact which the Associat.
ed Charities is anxious to emphasize
is that the register is not public. If
Mr.. X calls at the office or telephones
the Associated Charities for informa-
tion, he is not invited to consult the
catalogue as he would be in a library.
but the worker in the Office consults
the catalogue and if the Associated
Charities is not itself active in the re-
lief Of the particular family concern
ing whom MIR. K inquiries, the Asso-
ciated Charities worker gives Mr.. X
merely the names and addresses of the
other organizations or individuals
known through its catalogue to be in
terested and active in the relief of the
family inquired about At the same
time the Associated Charities notifies
these other organizations or individuals
Shat Mr.. x is anxious to help their dis
tressed family. Thus the register sup