The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-02
POINTS OUT Error Of HELP
Association Declares That Ninety Per
Cent of the Beggars Found in Keno
sha are Frauds and Unworthy of As
sistance from People.

pie of the city against beggars who
are infesting the city and the organiza-
tion is urging tie people of the city
to refuse aid to these people and in
stead of giving them everything asked
for the plea is made that they should
be sent to the Offices of the organiza-
ton in order that the cases might be
investigated One of the directors of
the association gave out the following
statement:
Recently two Migrants appeared at
the office Of the Associated Charities of
Kenosha. One, boy of ninteen, stated
that he was an orphan, that he had been
i'll, but was now able to work. He
gave three addresses, one of friend
in Chicago, one of physician who had
attended him, and one of his brother
in Cleveland. The Associated Charities
turned the boy over to the Y. NJ. c.
A. secretary who secured work for the
wanderer, and fortified by past expert
ence, arranged to collect his pay for
him. To this arrangement the boy gave
full consent expressing gratitude at the
interest taken in him by both the AS
ISOLATED Charities and the Y. M. G. A.
The Associated Charities next wrote to
charity organization societies in the
cities in which were the addresses of
the boys references. Replies came
back from all three sources that all of
the addresses were false. After two
days of work the lad took quiet de-
parture and has not been seen or heard
from since in spite Of the undrawn
money which he earned while working.
IF Kenosha had been cordial to him,
undoubtedly he would still be with us
giving US the pleasure of bearing his
support.
The second vagrant was a strapping
man who asked just enough work to
enable him to purchase an overcoat.
Work was secured for him and direction
given him for reaching it. Later in
the day telephone inquiry revealed
the fact that the man had not applied
for the greatly desired work, but three
other residents Of Kenosha telephoned
asking the Associated Charities to fur
nish an overcoat to destitute man.
Each individual reporting the case and
asking the overcoat had directed the
man to the Office OF the Associated Char
tiles about an hour before telephoning
Needless to say the man did not return
to the Office, and no further trace of
him could be found
The Associated Charities does not
wish to be understood as saying that
all begging cases are frauds. It knows
that about ninety per cent are. 1t
does not ask you to slam the door in
the faces of all beggars. It does ask
you to withhold aid until the truth of
the statements is verified. If you have
not time, means or desire to make your
own investigation, the Associated Char
titles stand ready to make one for you
The only red tape necessary is for you
either to bring the beggar or direct him
to the office of the Associated Charities
at 214 Wisconsin street, over the office
of the Kenosha Evening News. A tel
ephone message stating that you have
sent the stranger and giving your name
and address-in case you are not in a
position to accompany the begging one
to the ofice-will insure to you a re-
port of the situation disclosed by q
careful investigation. Knowledge OF
the true conditions puts you in a posi-
tion to extend help, if you so desire
of permanent value to those in gen
uine need, while your withholding Of
aid until you do know facts may keer
you from helping to increase the dis
tress of a destitute family by encourag
ling the evil ways Of DESERVING father
Few of US assume our full RESPONSE
bility in giving. We use doles as 6
sort of hash money to our consciences
We give nickle, a dime, or a quarter
and dismiss the thought of the beggal
from our minds-for ,beggars are moi
comfortable subjects of thought. Only
those of US who have followed the dole
further know that it is either too mucl
Or too little. If real need exists. 6
nick1e will not remove it. Seldom vii
money alone do it; money plus service
may. If the need is false, the dole
has been withheld from real neec
and placed where it works actual harm
and the amount of harm that even fv,
cents may work is alarming.
The Associated Charities of Kenosh;
is at the service Of all individuals. or
CARNATIONS, and business firms of tn,
city. The aim of the organization i
not mainly the detection and exposur,
of fraud, but the direction of relic
to cases Of genuine need. It helps witt
a definite plan to meet the need ade
quately, and wherever possible, to .pu