Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-04
TheBot:sLtHcrBoN
Kansas city as an Example.
81

| OMAHA, Dec. 40 the Editor OF The
| Bee: However well me may think Of
our city and OF its advancement and pro-
gresslve conditions looking TO the welfare
OF its people. we nevertheless may lecrn
| from other cities who have made spe-
cial studies of certain features OF mu-
nicipal life and from them learn certain
ideas which might be profitably used In
our city.
Kansas City has board of public well
! fare, composed OF patriotic citizens who
serve without sclary, the object Of which
| Is to seek the root of evils In municipal
life and apply corrective measures so
far as is possible. Employees of the board
are paid from a subscription fund. 1t has
departments, as follows:
The general office research bureau
association, service department, depart
ment for the homeless and unemployed,
welfare loan agency. municipal reform
department women's reformatory and
parole department. As 1 understand It,
the board Of public welfare grew out OF
the board of pardons and paroles with in
creased power, enabling Il to deal with
all problems committed to It. Since the
beginning of the board of public welfare
In April, 1910, it has pardoned 1900 indi-
viduals, 20 per cent OF whom were re-
stored TO the ranks of useful and pro-
ductive citizens; $50 are now on parole
and are earning an average OF so a week,
which is turned over TO their families.
Formerly men and women were kept in
a workhouse in idleness; now they are
trained in habits of industry. Kansas
City has a municipal farm of 13 acres
where small offenders are made TO work
who were formerly dead expense and
| trained in ldleness but the new system
reaps its best results in its character
building and encouragement Of the indi-
vidual, whereas under the old system
deep resentment toward the government
and society followed their Imprisonment
Under the new system when they are re-
leased from Imprisonment they have
learned a trade and are strengthened in
body and mind for the future.
1t was found that 25 to 50 per cent OF
the cases of unemployed were the result
Of lack Of work to do, greatly due TO in
efficiency. dissipation and shiftlessness
and other conditions over which the per-
son has no control During certain parts
OF the year seven to eight thousand EN-
ployes of packing houses are out of EN-
plOyment and want results frequently.
Under such conditions. good workmen
turn tramps and become untitled fol-
future labor. Kansas City has a rock
quarry to relieve this situation where EN-
ployment has been given to $500 persons
for a total of 5000 days, the cost Of the
experiment being $4,000 and the amount
received, s1s,5OO
There is also provision made for relief
against loan agents. II Is said that in
New York City $1,000 workmen pay trib-
ute to loan agents; also 1850 school
teachers pay 100 to $50 per cent interest
Kansas City has a municipal loan agency
at work and $4,000 has been loaned at
rates OF IL to 2 per cent per month.
Provision Is also made in Kansas city
looking to the housing conditions and
abolishing of the sluns and reducing tho
evils of disease. The city is divided into
six districts with a superintendent in
each. The dance hall is carefully con-
sldered and provisions made to protect
young girls from the dangers of these
places to which they 90 as the only place
for fun and amusement. AS has been said
by one OF the workers: "Our work has
contented and well-to-do in touch with
the great, throbbing heart of the despair
ing, the needy and infrm, to relieve
misery, to build up hopes, TO put down in
justice; to bring about the realization OF
the brotherhood of man and the father
mood of Cod"
One of the most important features OF
the work Of the board OF public welfare
is child welfare. on November 3, 1911, an
exhibit was given in Convention hall,
which was a revelation to those who
have never studied the question and the
possible results that might be achieved
by energetic labor of publlc-spirlted ciu-
gems. The exhibit was as much to In
struct as to warn and encourage for all
intelligent philanthropy must be based
upon knowledge, a foundation upon which
sympathy finds II easier to build The
exhibit might be olassed under the follow
ing heads:
/. Health; babies hospital wards, diet
kitchen. pure food exhibits, milk sta
tions, baby camps, wards for crippled
children, a dental clinic and x-ray
machine.
3 Homes; a model nursery, giving sug-
gestions to parents on the fitting out OF
a nursery; boys workshop. home library,
good and bad housing conditions.
3. Schools; school room classes of an
interesting nature where parents could
see how their children are taught;
classes in cooking, sewing, woodwork
and the like.
4. Recreation; model Fairgrounds with
suggestive plans OF Fairgrounds as
ISOLATION and park commissioners also
showing other Investigations OF moving
pictures, dance halls and other amuse-
ments The boy scouts formed a part
OF the exhibit. Kansas City has about
twelve play grounds under the control OF
the park commissioners. Each has a
superintendent who nstructs in physical
exercise, morals and habits. IL has also
public baths. one or more, consisting OF
a spray attachment to hydrants In a con-
gested part OF the city where in hot
weather boys and girls men and women,
dressed in their old clothing, find
pleasure and health.
S. Settlements and educational move
ments under which were included the
Young Mems Christian association, the
Young Women's Christian association
and various other organizations which
work to enrich the life OF the individual
and the community.
6. Churches; showing what p churches