The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-13

The greatest problem we face is the problem Of desertion and non support. One hundred and nineteen times in nine months we have seen husbands fail to support their wives and children, and there are many oth-. CT cases of desertion that we do not hear ofs' This was the most irupoE- tant statement made in the report Of Secretary Leet B. Myers, of the Char ity Organization Society, at the am nua1 meeting of that body held yes- terday Afternoon in the Stratheld ho-
 George c. Edwards, president. was in the chair. The subject was argued from various points by the prominent business and professional men who were present without any definite conclusion on any one point being reached.
 The question Of financing the or ganization was another most impor- 3tant subject to the members and one which consumed considerable time According to the report Of Secretary W. B. Allen, the total receipts for the year have been $4.O55.01 and the dis bursements, $s, 8764S, leaving a bal- ance on hand of $7s.5S, but the unpaid bills Of the society total $95060-
 w R webster gave an interesting account Of the tnefhciency of the method of obtaining funds by sending letters or circulars to prospective gtv- CTS and advocated the personal so1ic- itation. by members of the society, not by paid solicitors, as the most pro- ductive.
 If 5000 people gave dollar 2 piece a year we could run the eo- ciety,s' said AIh. Webster. The chief trouble about the personal solicitation is that most of the members of the society are so occupied with their own businesses or professions that they have little time to devote to this work
 Rev John R. Brown and Rev. F. A. Dillingham; spoke of the work in the churches and while they said that church people were always willing to give. they advocated the personal ap- peal rather than a general collection method
 Because of the fact that the direc- tors who drew the one year terms at the organization of the society hays proved so valuable during the past year and because the constitution pro- vddes that directors who have served one term shall not be re-elected there was considerable discussion as to whether this clause applied to those who had only served a one year term or merely to those who had had the full three years. It was finally moved and seconded to elect the following directors for the full term of three years Mrs. B. Oelsner, Mrs M sJ. Flanagan, Mrs. John T. King, G. "
 aaw1ey, M. D., Paul L. Miller, Rev J. MaeIaren Richardson, G. S. Ed wards Albert B. Lavery and Rev. J. B. NIhill, which is 9. complete re- election of the first year directors, with the exception of Mrs. John P. King. who was chosen to fill the place of Mrs A. L. Riker, who resigned from the board.
 1-xH11 E1eN IHaT<N at a meeting Of the trustees in the near future.
 According to General Secretary Leet B. Myers report:
 There were I57 cases of widowS1ood and 119 of desertfon and non-support during the past nine months There were 2s4 cases in which unemployment was the cause of distress, and TO in which the cause was shiftiessness or vagrancy Thirty-two families asked help because the breadWinner was in jail.
 There were 471 families referred to the society by the department Of pub lie charities, and 31 by private soc1e- ties; 121 families came of their own accord, and 1O9 were referred by in terested citizens; 82 cases were inyes- tigated for other cities.
 Continuing, MT. Myers tells of the three purposes of the society, first to prevent families, when pOSSiDle, .IroIn falling below the poverty line; second to help up to a normal state, families that have fallen on charity and third, to see that adequate relief is provided for the really needy who while do- ing their best, are, on account Of sick ness or death, of breAdWinner or oth- CT cause, unable to provide the necessi- ties of life.
 The society has provided for the de- livery of food to the .homes of the needy, obliterating the necessity of re- fined, se1f-respecting but unfortunate people gathering in a sbread-1ine' at the public charities
 fsPerhaps,'' continues the report. nothing we have done this year for so moderate a cost has helped so much to. relieve the pa,uperizing effect of aims giving
 The plan of co-opAratton with the Department of Public Charities was explained at length. Concerning the Co-Operative Case Treatment commit tee has met each week, except a short period in the, summer, and has been of great assistance in helping find the best soIutions of hundreds of fam fly problems This committee is made up of volunteers, some belonging to other charitable organizations ,and not, some of them experienced char ity workers. and all deeply interested in helping the fallen family up. This committee meets each Tuesday af- .ternoon at 4:30 o'clock
 The Confidential Exchange and the Friendly Visitors were explained Con corning the latter, MT. Myers says:
 "A small force of volunteers. known