Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-17
COUNCILS $4,000
DOLE WON'T SOLVE
PROBLEM or POOR
Charity Workers Take
NJ yor Blankenburg S
View That Appropriation
Was a Mistake.

Charity workers said today that the
10000 appropriation Of municipal funds
Tor relief Of the unemployed, first agitated
two months ago by Councilman John p
Conncily and other Organization leaders
as q prc-oleetion appeal which is finally
nva'lehe by Mayor Blankenburg's sig
ne,nrc, will not solve the problem
The Mayor issued, at the time Of sign
ING the measure. statement reiterating
his opposition to the principle OF giving
nubllc money as aims TO relieve suffering
and declared he signed the bill merely
70 demonstrate the futllity Of such ap
plication of public funds.
He repeated his belief that the munici-
pnl revenues should be used in creating
work for the unemployed ON permanent
public betterments.
Il approve it because II has not been
declnrcd Illegal by the city Solicitor he
said.
within a few hours after the Mayor
signed the measure four OF the leading
charitable organizations OF the city is
sued n Joint statement declining to place
their facilities for investigation and dis
trlbution at the disposal of the Emer-
gency Aid Committee jr distributing the
saO,000
The four societies refusing their CO.
operation and their representatives sign
ing the statement are the Home Mission
AIRY Society, Arthur Warner; the Union
Benevolent Society @. c.. Purves: the
United Hebrew Charities, Max Herzberg,
and the Society for Organizing Charity,
stevens Heckscher.
The Emergency Aid Conmittee, through
which the money Is to be expended after
being appropriated to the Department of
Health and Charities, includes in its
membership a number OF Philadelphia
society women. Headquarters of the COM
Eiittee. which had Planned TO use the
facilities OF the established organizations
.cr charity In distributing the $4,000, are
at i42s Walnut street,
THE MAYORS STATEMENT.
Mayor Blankenburg. in his statement
eommends the motives of the members
Of the Emergency Aid Committee, but
SAYS:
rMunicipaIities should increase their
public works so as TO give employment
TO the greatest possible number of those |
who would ordinarily be employed in
private enterprises.
"The money OF the city is money raised |
by taxation, and should be devoted to !
purely public purposes and not distrib- |
uted In charitable relief through any pr- !
vate agency. however worthy
'.In times Of distress citizens who are |
Blessed with more of this worlds goods |
than Is absolutely necessary for their 4
vell-belne should increase their charitable |
even TO the point of deny
ing themselves luxuries and comforts |
which they would otherwise be justified
IN enjoying,'
CHARITY WORKERS STATEMENT.
rhe heads OF the charitable organiza-
lions refusing their cooperation with the
Emergency Aid Committee repeated their
opposition to the appropriation
IN part their statement said;
eve would deem it unwlse 10 take part
IN the administration Of public moneys.
We think that the Emergency Aid, the
churches, charitable organizations, em-
ployers and individuals can, by co-opera-
ton and the support Of a generous public,
meet the present situation without city
funds, and can quietly and efficiently
to the individual needs of each
case as necessity requires.
"Of the first 100 applicants to the Emer-
gency Aid, 500 were already under the care
Of existing charities, We believe that the
experience gained in administering the
$4,000 fund will show II TO be unwise for
Councils To make further appropriations
for relief Large appropriations should
be made for public Improvement, as other
cities are doing, thereby giving real work
10 the unemployed at real wages"
The heads OF a number OF established
orSanizations for charity have opposed
the municipal appropriation since it was
first suggested, and several days ago
representation called on Mayor Blsnken-
burg ursing him 70 veto the bill.
The leaders OF the charitable organiza-
tions say the municipal appropriation Is
A bad precedent, attracts dependents TO
this city, tends 70 diminish the contribu-
tiona 10 the societies from private sources
and otherwise cripples thier work as
well as increases their burdens.