The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-26

leve in what is called the case by case system of raising relief funds. What we mean by this Is that if we require $10 or $15 month for family for a year we prefer to ask people to give that amount for that particular family. We open a special account with the money thus given, and we keep it reIigiously for the family for whom it was raised so long as 1t is needed. If it is not needed We give 1t back to the donors if they want it, or we transfer it with the consent of the donors to some other similar case.
 That does not often happen. Generally we need for a family all that we have secured for them. Our purpose is not the "tiding over'' of a family into next weeks misery but family rehabilitation. We pension widows until children can properly begin to earn wages. We care for the sick until they are well. We move people to place where they can become self-supporting if possible. We go after deserters and bring them back to their families.
 With us relief is but a means to an end. In some. instances we give no relief whatever and in other instances we may spend large sum of money in direct relief before we get through Of course. in the vast majority of cases some relief
  perience and best judgment suggest. whether it is much or little or nothing. Besides the $80,00O, which was expended Tor relief, and besides what was expended for other activities which have separate treasuries the Charity Organization so- ciety expended about $20O,0OO. Any ono who quotes these figures and infers from them that there is a disproportion be- tween relief and the cost of administer ing relief, is misleading the public. What these figures show is that the society is engaged in other activities besides relief giving. In round numbers $50,000 was the cost of conducting the New York School of Philanthropy This is q training school for those who are expecting to engage in civic or social work. It is not supported by contributors at ali, but by endowment and tuition fees.
 About $7500 was spent for the work of the tenement house committed, the com mittee which with the support and CO., operation of the daily press, settlements, trade unions and others, secured the present tenement house law 10 years ago, and has ever since been obliged to fight attacks on it. This committee also has nothing to do with, relief. but it Is fight ing for decent tenement homes, against the sefshness and greed of speculative tenement owners and builders.
 Thirty thousand dollars was spent on the work Of the committee on the pre- vention of tuberculosis and it's affiliated association of tuberculosis clinics. None of this was for relief and none of it was for the expense of administering relief. Tt is more fundamental than relief. 1t is prevention.
 It is public education. Largely as a re- suit of campaign carried on by that committee the city was induced to in crease it's appropriations o-the health de- partment and to the board of cduca- tion. and as a result we have open air schools for anaemic children and an ade- auate corps of health department dis trict nurses, visiting the homes of poor consumptives. These things mean more than fuel and groceries. They mean health and the saving of life. They mean stamping out infection.
 The society spent little over SS0co in it's bureau of advice and information, which is for the purpose of reporting to its members and others of charitable agencies whr,h appeal for financial sup port. This bureau exposes fraudulent en- terprises and gives impartial, reliable in formation concerning the hundreds of in-