The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-02
New Organization Sends Out Letters
to All Fraternal Bodies Ask
ing Aid For This
Movement.
NEED FUND FOR WORK
Prevention Of Future Poverty as Well
az Present Relief is
the Aim Of the
Society.

The finance committee of the Unit
ed Charities is sending out a letter
addressed to all fraternal bodies and
religious institutions, setting forth the
object Of the association and solicit,
/ ing aid for tha furtherance of that OBJ
iject. G. HI. Dodge is chairman of thu
committee. The office of the society
! Is at No. 8 South Third street.
The object Of the United Charities
is not to continue to aid dspendants
but to make dependents independent
and able to take care of themselves
in the future. 1t is to prevent tutura
poverty as well as to help for the
time being.
The following is a typical illustra-
| ton of what hapllazard relief did not
do, and what organized charity work
did do. This case Is taken from a
/ United Charity bulletin at Chicago:
Laborer died leaving wife and
five children. No savings, no inslr
ance. Several charitable societies
gave food and coal. Mother worked,
was in poor health, children neglect
ed, became wayward, irregular at
school and Diety. Mothers earnings
never enough. Asked more and more.
Sent children to ask help. Several
societies supply 1t, ignorant of one
another. Nothing accomplished.
| Organized charity accompls shed
this:
Referred to United Charities. Weak
points in case mothers poor health.
small earning power enforced alb.
sence from home, growing hayward.
ness Of children, temporary homes
found for two children, cooperation
of doctor, visiting nurse, one relief
society, a friendly visitor, church,
a dispensary, two school teachers
and the woman's relatives in another
state secured State pension secured
: for the widow until children should
. be of working age Mother now eff
cient head of own household. Family
returning to seff-supporting co1ldi,
tions. One boy working already.
Letter Explains Aims.
Following is the letter beng sent
out:
In December, 1913, one month ago
a society was organized in Keokuk
: called the United Charities. In tn
growth of every city the time newt
I ably comes when charity, as we'll as
, every other depantm snt Of community
life which handles money and effects
, human welfare, must be organized
i AS it's name implies, this DIS the pur
poss of the United Charities. The
i movement which led to its formation
has been on foot for many months
, but up to this time little has been
heard Of the society, because 1t mus;
move slowly. The time has now
. come, however, when the aid of every
, public-spirited citizen is earnestly
, asked. The society is strongly or
ganiz I'D and ready to begin its work
And what is the work of the Uni,
ed Charities?
It's fundamental principle it-not
only the relief of poverty-but the
i prevention of future poverty and de
, psndence. Independence and self-sup
I port are the normal conditions OF life
+ Poverty and dependence are ahnor
l NAL. They depend upon definite
!. causes, which, as rule, ara below
the surface. Ignorance, suffering ami
want are the symptoms which show
ALL men are charitable at heart. The
} trouble is they usually give onl,
treatment for the symptoms and thus
I aggravate the disease, rather thar
striking at the less evident causes.
Have you mot, yourself, become In
terestsd in a poor family and per
haps gone to considerable expense t.
9 relieve their needs. only to find your
It self becoms more and more the Obj
e iect of begging appeals for further
y help, after the first has been WASTED
: or used up OF, perhaps, you have
u aided deserving family for lony
; time without rendering them selfsup
g porting, and are forced, by circum
! stances, to give up the ease Yot
= must leave it to chance, care or non
: at all. In such instances you hav,
= probably realized the futility of un
y aided efforts
Cities, as whole. are fast comm
to realize tbs ar responsibility towart
? the ignorant and dependent. Granted
2 that small per cent of adults ar,
:, beyond help certainly their chadreI
= are not-and by far thu larger par
of the adults themselves may b,
:, made self-supporting when given ;
!, chance through organized charity.
Aims Many Reforms.
v The work Of the United Chariti 81
c through it's trained officer. Is:
/, To supply work, so far as possible
for the nnpmIllnved hy cecurin IN.