The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-05
Tumble InOites Close
 Inspection of Headquarters


 
 welcome investigations by those that art I seeking for the truth and. that are no narrow or biased.
 I've do know that the experience of al men that have investigated charitable in | stitutions have commended our plan oi separating the sexes-of not only not hay ing them in the same building, but blocks 1 away-and having them under the super | vision of a matron and that men have not been found to add to the value of insti- tutions where women are to be reclaimed, and that women of the town are not con ducive to good order in institutions where men are segregated.
 "Wedo know that every week there is taken from rooms occupied by charity | and other lodgers-pint and half pint | whisky bottles-empty, but with the aroma of fresh corn liquor prevailing the bottle. We do know that there is scarce | ly a week passes that we are not forced | to change mattresses and scrub out rooms on account of the filthy condition | the room is left in, by some of the oc- cupants. And we also know that we have never tried to secure donations in- tended for other societies or organiza- tions, nor have we ever told the people that any organization did not need or want clothing or any other articles the public felt inclined to give.
 Questions Chief Bodeker
 "Wlll the chief of police tell us when the city of Birmingham ever donated even l cent to the Industrial Home? Now the chief doubtless stated what he thought was so, but we ask him to produce the vouchers for the proof of his statement. One thing is certain, If the city of Bir- mingham has ever made such a grant. the money never reached us, never came to the Industrial Home. And this leads to the inquiry: Where did 1t go?
 We have been informed that this city has and does now give an allowance to the Rescue Home for fallen women, that Is under the supervision of Adjutant Wal dron, but the Rescue Home has no con- nection with the Industrial Home for men, no more than the city police has to do with the commissioners. Each home has different methods and under differ ent supervision. D
 "Our experience of a quarter of cen- tury with the Salvation Army leads to this statement that in no place in this country has the Industrial Home depart ment ever asked anybody or any 6ty for one cent in money. Our cards plain ly say, Drivers are not allowed to so- licit or receive donations in cash
 Any institution that receives municipal aid. whether 1t is $50 per month or any other sum, and then tells the public that 1t Is giving free beds, Is deceiving the public, for up to the amount given wheth- CT 8 or $50 the person donating or the city giving the taxpayers money, pays for the beds used up to the amount given.
 Ask for Aims
 We do go to the charitable people and ask them to give us anything they may have in old furniture, old clothes, books magazines or papers. We bring the gifts of the people to our place on South Twen- tieth street and convert them into money Our payroll up to April l. 1912, for the year past aggregates many hundred. dol lars. We have not only fed and ,dged and partially clothed those that came to us for a temporary home-and the aver age aggregates nearly 30 each day-but we have paid to these unfortunates for serv- ices very many hundred dollars. We have paid, as our vouchers will show, to your merchants for bread, meats. .yegetab bles, groceries, feed for horses, and to your mechanics for blacksmithing, wheel wrghting and for harness repairs, and for electric lights, gas, ice, coal and rents many thousand dollars each year.
 We have gathered up the waste paper from your merchants that the city would have to have gotten, thus directly saving the taxpayer this expense but we have converted this waste into cash to meet the bills that your merchants will tell you are promptly met The furniture that We gather up we have had repaired and tne furniture and clothing has been sold and given away. When sold the prices were so low that the poor have received sub stantial benefits by getting the goods, and this has aided the city, because the city was lessened in its expense from caring for it's poor and ndigent.
 Concerning Other Charities
 <The chief asserts that the 'PsSah Home is doing more good than every charitable institution in this city This is a sweeping assertion. We know that all our churches have done and are doing a grand good work for the poor. We know that the board of charities have done and are doing very much good. We personally know of the work being done that we refer to. So we feel that the chief has unwittingly placed us in good company.
 But how does the chief know? He virtually admits that he knows nothing of our work, except .hearsay evidence, and that is far from satisfactory. If it were good our opinion of the chief would not be nearly as good it now is. If his sweeping denunciation of the others is founded on guesses and hearsay, would it not be well for him to have another guess?
 After all, we know where the milk in the cocoanut is. The question for the good people to decide is: Shall we make Birmingham the hobo center; shall we feed those that will not work or shall we give to ,ne unfortunate | ones who are down and out temper arily?
 This Is the issue squarely put and | fairly stated. Is 1t better to have those that have no money beg from mer- chants and from the citizens for the | food they consume. or to work for it. l We do not deny the unfortunate the pleasures he receives from tobacco. al | though we do not know it's taste noi do we compel attendance to our re. llgious services, although we are al. ways glad to have them with us.
 The chief assured us in his letter written Wednesday that the investi- l gation should begin at once. We have waited all day at the home so as tc give him every opportunity to go over the home our books and our vouchers but as yet he has not honored us witt his presence
 STAFF CAPT. EDWARD TRUMBLE.
 BOdeker Maintains Stand Chief Bodeker last night maintaine, his stand already taken in the Sal vation Army matter and reiterated al that he said the night before. These people," said the chief. "ar, on the streets of Birmingham from morning until night collecting money