The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-03-05

"The FIRST Welfare Exhibit, 4
+ the greatest educational force x
\ in Honolulu, closed tonight, x
X said James A. Rath, its direc- +
X tor, Mt the conclusion of the X
X final conference last night. X
X In all 1854 people have at X
\ tended the exhibits in five days, X
x of which number 903 were i;
\ counted last night x
X X
X 4: 4 x i; i; * x x x X x * X x X
Focusing the scattered portions of
the lesson of the Public Welfare Elk
hibit and all the sentiments that have
been incidental to them, the last of the
four social conferences was held last
night with Governor Frear in the chair
The subject was ON Cooperative Phil
anthropy, the principal paper being
read by James A. Rath.
Mr. Rath brought all the recent dis
cussions of philanthropic work in this
city to a point where they could be
considered coherently. Recommending
greater cobesiveness among the local
charitable organizations and perfect
ed system of cooperative social work
he did, rs he said, "discuss the sub
iect, not from the vantage point of any
of the distant European cities nor the
cities of the mainland, but from the
vantage point of our own city,
"The ideal of the old CHARITY he
said, in part, "was palliative. Crime,
poverty and disease were viewed pure
ly as individual matters. Tho more
piously inclined looked upon all of
these social fractures as visitation
from Providence and all they attempted
to do was to relieve present and press
ing needs. This ideal is changing, or
shall / say, expanding7 We realize to-
day that society is composed of indi-
viduals and hence the individual must
be taken into account in any scheme of
social betterment or uplift, but we are
also realizing that the individual is a
product of society. In other words our
old idea is being socialized.
Tests of Service.
"With the creation of new profess
sion,' - he continued, "have come new
tests to be applied to the work of that
profession, whether the work be indi-
vidual or in an institution. The first
test that should be applied is social.
Is the work, being done or proposed,
social in its aim7 Or in other words,
does it or will it serve society in some
useful manner7 Partisanship in social
endeavor is just as reprehensible as it
is in any other phase of life.
The second test may be made part
of the first. I state it, however, as a
separate test. Is the service rendered
or proposed necessary to society," In
these days of multiplication of agen-
cies for the relief and cure of social
EMBELLISHMENTS it is imperative that
people know whether the service being
given is needed.
"The third test to be applied should
be one of efficiency. This would cover
all matters in regard to the conduct of
the affairs of the work being under
taken. There is no reason why scien-
tiic management should not be applied
to sociological agencies as well as com
mercial and industrial.
Cooperation Necessary.
"I am concerned, however, chiefly
with the cooperation among the phil
anthropic societies here in Honolulu.
We have not had this to any extent.
We have failed to pattern after the
chief industry of our Territory and con-
sequently our results have not been as
large or good. There are three ways in
which this cooperation may be brought
about. First, it may be voluntary, sec
ondly, by the social work of city be-
ing coordinated through state boards
of charities, and thirdly, by those meth
DDS adopted by those who furnish the
fund for the control of philanthropic
work.
We have great many organizations
and institutions in Honolulu doing
many various kinds of work The peo-
pie of this city are called upon, as
probably no other city of its size, to
support these; they have right to
ask whether they are getting full re-
turn for the money they give. They
have right to know to what end they
are working, just as they have a right
to ask whether our methods are best
and the most efficient.
Know Honolulu
eve need to adopt a slogan. I
would suggest then, Know Honolulu.
Know the city we live in, the city in
which we are rearing our children. 1t
is pleasant to know about distant cities
and ancient peoples, but why neglect
our own city. Let us begin to study
our own people and our conditions. The
study should not only be of conditions
but of the work that is already being
done to meet those conditions. Is too
much being done, as some assert, or
too littlei
''To accomplish all this, - the speaker
concluded, twill mean the expenditure
of money, brain and energy. Let us
not forget, however, that when the OBJ
ject is to raise the permanent condi-
tions of people small means do not
merely produce small effects; they pro-
duce no effects at all.
''Fellow workers and fellow citizens,
what are we going to do about iti"
Exhibit Is Pau.
Despite the rainy weather, a final
crowd of good proportions turned out
last night to get the last view of the
Public Welfare Exhibit in the Palama
gymnasium. Growing unnoticed out of
uulat five uaara xrork atnonor uavn