New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-27
SAYS POVERTY INCREASES.
Charity Organization Reports
Less Favorable Year for Labor.
SOP DESERTED FAMILIES
Progress in War Against Tuber-
culosis Noted, but More
Needed, Society Says.

The annual report Of the Charity Or
ganzation Society for the fiscal year ended
September 80. 1911 will be circulated among
the mer1bers Of the society and subscribers
70 its charities to-day. During each month
OF the year. the report shows. the NUMBER
Of families helped by the society mas peen
greater than AZ the corresponding PERIOD
Of the previous year The year closed with
$40 families under care, which was per
cent more than at the beginning or the
wear The whole number Of families unuer
us supervision during the year was o'V'Z'
an increase OF 10 per cent over the pre-
ceding year
Less employment and a steadily main
tanned high cost Of living explain the rise.
The report says
The Industrial conditions during the year
have generally been less favorable LOT un-
skilled laborers, and particularly Tor mat
group engaged in seasonal ana casual IA
Dor from which the main body on depeh-
dent families is derived. The cnan5e nas
been much more marked In some districts
than in others. 1t has not been suihclently
great 10 cause serious consequences, were
IL not for the steadily maintained hlsn
cost Of living which came, ana remains
unaccOmpanied By correspondents IN
crease in wages.
There has been uniform testimony from
the district committees That II the cost OF
living increases. without a corresponding
increase I'm earnings. the term poor must
embrace larger group eaCh yeaf. ne
universal item Of family budgets Whlch is
most nelastic Is rent Many families nave
been Obliged TO move to poorer quarters,
though the eXpedient more usually adopted
is 10 take dodgers. In either case the net
result is increased overcoming or rooms
10 the detriment Of health and morals.
The desertion Of husbands is one Of the
constant causes OF dependence, the whole
number of deserted families under care
during the year being 500. The new Court
Of Domestic Relations has been OF great
assistance in dealing with this situation
the report saws. not only because it az
fords ouportunity 70 obtain definite and
ADEQUATE information. but because women
have been more ready to appear in this
court and complain than they were to visit
the police courts.
But in spite Of the greater call on the
societys resources, the amount Of ma
terial relief obtained and used by the or
eanizatlon during the year was S7S543. or
per cent less than in the preceding year.
This. however. does not include the prob
ably larger amount obtained for the relief
Of families which they received directly
mediary.
The service Of the society must not be
measured by the material relief admin
istereG; the report is emphatic on that
point Material relief was provided in less
than half the cases under care, many
families being helped 10 a basis Of self
support without fl. while I'm other cases in
rtructlon. encouragement prevention Of
disease or care Of the sick was the neces-
sary assistance.
The Joint application bureau in the
United Charities Building received S3sl
calls from representatives. Of families in
residences. as compared with S.737 I'm the
preceding year Calls from homeless appli-
cants almost all Of whom were men, num-
bered afG3 rs compared with 1889 the
year before.
Persistent efforts were made 20 find en-
plovment FOR men on farms and In the con-
etruction Of public works outside the city.
During the year permanent work was
/ found for $40 men. and temporary work for
| $50. The committee in charge Of the bu-
reau conducted a successful campaign for
/ the enactment Of law establishing a
COMPULSORY farm labor colony for Migrants
] 10 THIS state.
/ The report pays special attention 10 the
prevention Of tuberculosis by the organiza-
/ ton of fresh afr classes I'm the public
schools In the fall Of 1910 there was only
one such class-in Public School p. at Mott
and Spring streets. During the year the
I societys committee IN charge Of this work
ouened four more such classes and three
others We're projected. This committee also
conducted q campaign % obtain additional
/ tuberculosis hospitals having found the
situation TO be critical AS a result of the
campaign the city appropriated 100000
/ FOR the erection OF additional hospitals
which viii provide when completed. fifteen
hundred beds for tuberculosis patients
making a total Of AGO beds at the city'a
disposal
/ IF a similar increase can be made for
/ two succeeding years the report goes on
10 say "the hospital situation viii then be
properly provided for"