The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-25

That there is loss of efficiency in the
 charitable work of the district" with
 more money expended than in our opin-
 ion need be for rent, taxes, repairs, main- tenance supervision and other general charges" is the burden of a report made public yesterday from the board of public welfare.
 The board recommends that there be a
 general consolidation of the various charity organizations of the city and county, passing it's claim of lack of ef- ficiency on duplication of effort in so
 many cases.
 The report does not mention the As- sociated Charities. When asked why. J. D. Moore. chairman of the board of
 public welfare, stated last night that the task of investigation. which the board
 had undertaken had proven so stupen- dous that it was impossible for 1t to make a complete report on all of the charitable organizations at this time, and that the
 Associated Charities was one of the or ganizations whose investigation had not yet been completed.
 Others which are not included in the report made yesterday which is styled partial and tentative. are the Anti-tuper- culosis association, the Boys club, the Old Folks home, the Colored Folks' home and others. The report states that there are 26 charitable institutions which
 are at the present time receiving finan- cial assistance from the county or city. In this connection 1t might be stated that the Associated Charities has made public statement to the effect that the organization is without funds and that unless some are forthcoming at once all appeals for aid will have to be denied Secretary W. M McGrath has stated that there are 200 families which need immediate attention.
 The board of public welfare is composed of J. D. Moore, chairman, representing the Chamber of Commerce; James Bow ron, representing the city of Birmingham:
 A. H. Geohegan, representing Jefferson county: Dr. H. S. Ward, representing the Jefferson County Medical society, and
 R. l.. Cross, representing the Interchurch
 council
 This board was organized several
 months ago, representative being ap-
 pointed as stated. for the purpose of in-
 vestigating the condition of the charita-
 ble societies of the city and county and
 making recommendations. For the past
 several months the board has been hold ing repeated sessions and conducting in- vestigations into the societies and organi- cations as set out in it's report. A report covering those organizations txrb mi ir,a 1ad in fi1a will be made in the future probably with in the next two or three months. The report has been filed with both the county and the city authorities, and any action which may follow in the matter will be taken by these respective govern mental bodies. The full report follows: Boards Complete Report "A partial and tentative report of the board of public welfare. "To the Board of Revenue for Jeff ferson County and the Commissioners of the City of Birmingham: "Gentlemen-We the members of the board of public welfare, appointed by you on the nominations of your re- spe ctive bodies, together with those of the Chamber of Commerce, interchurch council and Jefferson County Medical society, beg to report as follows:
 We find 26 institutions which are -''Si"inS regular stated assistance
 From the funds of the county or city
 under the appropriations made by you and our first effort was to obtain a statement from each of the institutions concerned showing in business-like
 form the total receipts. disbursements and the service rendered. From some of these institutions we have received
 such reports and from some of them we have not.
 "Following this request we have en. deayored to fami1iarize ourselves fin a
 general way with the status of the benevolent work carried on in the city and county by personal visits. Not having any appropriation to cover any ea pense account incurred by us, we
 have had to depend upon private cars
 which have been kindly lent to us, CT upon the occasional use of cars be- ire our rounds, calling them out of the city and the inability to get the entire board together at almost any one time, we have not yet been able to master the situation in its detail sufficiently to justify any full or final re port We believe, however, that we have sufficient grasp of the situation to justify a partial and tentative re- port
 .,ve have been impressed almost from the outset with the fact that there fig a loss of efficiency in the charitable work in the district, due to a multiplication of machinery lead ling to some amount of duplication of effort and overlapping or spheres. There lis consequently more money expended than in our opinion need be for rent. taxes. repairs maintenance. supervision I " | ii |8