New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-08
TO COORDINATE CHARITIES .
Prendergast Suggests That City
Take Lead in Social Work.
PRISON SYSTEM ATTACKED
DR.. Lewis Calls Harris Island
Training School for Vice
Mrs. Nathan Talks Suffrage.

William A. PrendergaSt' 'Ollli WV " 80
City Of New York. spoke at the opening
session Of the third annual Ne" 10TH
Conference OF Charities and CORRECTION at
the United Charities Building last nish''
and during the course OF MS refnaI Ms
poIntod out the leading position when he
maintained the city should occupy N caring
for the poor
"If the sty. AS a city, is first respon-
sible for the welfare of the community
Mr.. Prcndergast declared. the CITY shouid
take leadership in its social work lhere
f. AT present not provided In New lorK any
agency FOR co-ordinat!ng either tn" punhc
or private work for promoting social wei
fare, As the chief contributor for welfare
purposes. and the only agency That can
provide enough hospitals, enough Vlsluhs
nurses and enough clinics and enough SAM
tarv houses to attack effectively the evils
which beset the poor, it Is the CITY l"a'
should provide this agency Of cc-ordina-
ton"
Mr.. Prendergast said he did not suggest
that there should be any restriction put
on the efforts Of private agencies nut ne
did suggest that this effort he co-ordlha'eu
with the work Of the city.
- propose" he added. that there be es-
tablished as part Of the equipment OF
the municipality. a fact centre regarding
the des,itutlon problem and the work OF
agencies dealing with il, which will give
a foundation Of facts for future approprla-
lions and future administrations of every
department of the city government whose
work is aimed al the relief OF poverty.
Such a step can best he taken on me hasls
Of a comprehensive survey Of the city
present social resources
The second suggestion Mr.. Prcndersast
lad 10 offer concerned the alleged pre-
Variability of the causes of desttu'ion. He
said he believed they should he taken seri-
ouslv. and that It should he determined
what measures could he adopted by the
CITY under its present powers. and what
new powers will he needed 10 put stop
TO unnecessary preventable commitment
Of children 10 institutions.
Most Of us agree that the best care
child can receive is in some home. MT
Prondersast said
Thomas NJ. Mulry, Commissioner OF the
state Board Of Charities and president OF
the conference. opened last nights session
with plea Of cooperation among social
workers
DR.. q F. Lewis secretary Of the Prison
Association. the next speaker, bitterly at
tackled conditions in all the New York
prisons
The nine district prisons in New York
are old and dark" said Or. Lewis The
Tombs has only 30 cells and I'm winter has
a population Of over seven hundred. The
l. lie
commodate NJ 10 thirty-one prisoners to
cell. The two warehouses; are a collection
of shacks The Industrial equipment Is in
sufficient in all places. The methods are
not modern in labor. health recreation and
education"
Or. Lewis compared the small number
Of convictions for murder with the
total number Of murders THE probation
and parole system here falls short" he
said, because OF poor choice OF probation
ers and parole boards These boards have
been changed through political influence
and unqualified men given positions. result
ing in lax supervision"
ITO expect ideals in the graduates from
Harris Island Is still more absurd than 10
expect respect for the law and order from
with hardened crooks as playmates." Dr.
Lewis said. in ending his address. A
training school for vice on the edge Of Hell
Gate is the best description I know Of for
the correctional institutions of this city"
Mrs. Frederick y. Nathan. during the
discussion Of correction needs I'm New
York. seriously criticised the so-caled cap
tains of industry who did not pay living
wages to girls She said that the remedy
was Votes for women"
"Our organization" said Mrs Nathan.
'for long time tried 10 secure a mini
mum wage. The girls do not need technical
training The employers do not want that
girl cannot live deCently in New York
on less than 80 a week. | have been 10 the
night court for women and have heard
girls testify that they got as low as s.
week The strength Of the mems trade
unions comes because men have votes"