Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-13
WHAT CHARITY DOES FOR
NEWARK'S POOR AND THEIR
PLACE IN THE CHURCHES
Organized Relief and Proposed
Bureau Of Registration Of a
Confidential Nature.

The Bureau of Organized Charities
Of Newark has one cardinal article
of faith that is, that real help for
the poor, the distressed. or even the
sick, must be educational This idea
is impressed upon its trained work
ers, friendly workers and visitors,
provident savings collector visiting
housekeeper, etc.
There is another significant idea Of
the authorities Of the Newark Bu-
reau of Associated Charities, or,
rather, two ideas. One is that prin-
ciple of the acute business man who
understands that if he does not seek
through advertising, through pub
licity. the patronage or aid Of the
people all his efforts are vain. He
may have a palace as an emporium,
his wares may be of a quality that
challenges and exeites the admira-
ton and envy Of his rivals; but, II
he does not let the buyer know that
he has them for sale they are only
50 much cumbrous weight upon his
shelves.
So 1t is with the charity organiza-
tion society. II must inform the
public Of its good works, It must
| cali heaven and earth to witness
that it is doing excellent service with
such means as ii has at command.
It must arouse d feeling OF emula-
ton among those who are willing TO
give, as well as able, and show them
the best charitable use to which
their money can be put.
The second idea of the city's Asso-
ciated charities is that temporary re-
lief is only the beginning in helping
he Fl,r1 eli
this thought by a cartoon adjoining
the cover of its annual report. This
symbolic representation shows a
mammoth scale. On the one side the
basin-greatly cverbaiancsd by the
other-bears the legend, Temporary
relief individual charity" The sister
receptacle, heavily laden. sinks down
ward, its contents inscribed with
these labels: 'Self-help," Social
Legislation" Teaching Homemade
ing, Employment" "Plans for
Permanent Relief" Individual
Charity" Temporary Relief" and
last, the foundation stone. Organized
Charity"
Now, it is known to those who
nave, observed carefully the charac-
teristics Of the city that Newark is
one of the most charitable munich
are innumerable. and their member
ship is made up of persons who are
n!led with the spirit Of charity. But
| much of this benevolence is mis-
directed, and the generous giver is
confused not SO much with the calls
upon him as with the strange guise
under which they come. With the
unfamiliar. pseudo-seientific desIgna.
tons under which he is urged to dis
pense the relief he is only too ready
to offer.
It is to organize and guide back
relief into proper channels that the
| Associated Charities Of Newark was
formed and, as far as lies in It's
power, as far as its means will per-
/ nit, it follows this principle
/ 1t is aided by church authorities.
/ doubtless, but sometimes they prove
only drag upon it. For example, an
ambitious church, amply endowed
with wealth, opens a relief bureau.
Does il employ a competent, trained
superintendent? No, it secures one
| who has no need of salary, thus dis
! regarding the distress of some one
! less fortunate, yet more than able to
I fill the post of the empiricist. But the
1 incumbent tires. the church grows
I weary of its half-hearted, experiment
| tai, so-called, social service bureau.
/ Winter comes and the applicant finds
closed door, hint that he is in the
criminal class and that TO them who
deal with that class he must go.
| Thus is charity shamed, thus is or
| ganized relief set at naught. and, in
| more than one way, the community is
/ injured.
/ Organized charity may be deceived,
| it is often, its kindest-hearted SER
/ yants-as was but recently the case
| are sometimes beguiled. but it has
stood the test of time, it has brought
| employer and employed nearer to-
! gether, it has led the benevolent citi-
| zen TO the poor homes which cry
! aloud to heaven for help, and it has
now, under the auspices of a single
minded, charitable woman, planned a
/ department of confidential informa-
ton which -aill simplify its work.
More will be said ABBOTT this bureau
/ later.