The Washington times., 1913-03-01
Central Union Reaches
CommendabIe Decision

-Four more years have gone by, and
we are again making preparations for
the inaugural. a ceremony which brings
thousands of people to our city, and in
arranging for accommodations for these
thousands Of visitors our hotels, board
ing houses, private homes, and public
halls are taxed to their limit Places in
the business section are in such great
demand for the few days prior to and
following the Inauguration tnat in many
instances rentals are obtained which are
equal to the rental Of the property for
several months, but this is allowable
when we understand that arranging for
these accommodations considerable ex-
pense and temporary Inconvenience is
experienced. The Central Union Mis-
sion, the work and object Of which or
ganization Is the relief Of cases of dis
tress among the poor and homeless, has
large auditorium, dining room, work
rooms, and 6ormitories for feeding and
sheltering and giving employment and
spiritual comfort to these unfortunates.
AIMS Duiiding having such extensive
floor space ana being centrally located
is IN great demand by clubs, organiza-
tions, and large bodies of troops upon
occasions like The present, and the man
agement are to be highly commended
tor refusing to rent out their building,
even though attractive offers have been
made. InIs stand is especially praise
worthy at the present time when the
mission is $500 in arrears for current
expenses, and are also making a spe-
cial effort to clear off an Indebtedness
Of $4,000 on their property, all Of which
is subscribed except $4,000. With this
amount subscribed relieving them of the
annual interest charges the effectiveness
Of their work would be largely in
creased.
The amount they could have received
from the rental OF their building for the
coming week would have covered the
arrears in current expenses and would
have gtYen them substantial amount
| TO apply TO the property debt, but II
they had considered the matter from
the business point of view IL would have
been necessary to close the doors for
that period to a large number of unfor-
| tunates and would have driven them
TO beg or else to suffer from hunger or
exposure.
1t is condition of this kind that too
frequently drives some of them to deeds
or iawlessness, and any city is fortunate
to have an organization of this kind to
care for this class of people. Many of
them who are not bad have arrived at
| Inc dividing OF the paths and through
desperation may be driven to crime.
cr they. can with. little of genuine
sympathy and help be reclaimed and
started on the upward path. This is the
help many men and women have gotten
| from the Central Union Mission. which
docs this work in an unostentatiouS
manner and 1t is for that reason that
&c much of the good work they do is
never known abroad.
Had II not been that the MANAGEMENT
have thorough knowledge of the dis
tress conditions of the city, and that
they were sincere in their efforts for the
physical relief and spiritual uplift of
these people il would have been an easy
matter for them TO have rented their
building for the week at a figure that
would helped them materially
The management of the mission have
pledges for SCI 900 Of their Indebtedness,
some of these being conditioned upon
their raising the remaining So
They have circulated an appeal for
contributions in such amounts as can
be given, and the results are encourage
ing but the sooner the entire amount Is
subscribed the sooner they can Increase
the effectiveness of the organization,
and there could be no better indorse-
ment Of their decision not to let any
offers interfere with the object of their
efforts than by sending them such
mounts az We can afford, to assist a
class of work that Is worth every dollar
Ui cost.
Checks should be made payable to
W. II. Ramsey. Treasurer, 622 Lou
isiana Ave, N. w.