The Washington times., 1914-03-13
BY HELEN HEYL,
Of the Associated Charities.

Of the Associated Charities.
There probably isn't one person
in a thousand who hasn't heard of
the Associated Charities and
formed some hazy notion Of the
work they do. A great many
people have the idea that they are
a huge machine of some kind di-
rected by trained workers. who
dole out portions Of fuel, gro
ceries, and clothing to the Sub
merged Tenth. And so they are
But / wonder IL anyone has ever
stopped to think of the workers.
trained and volunteer. who keep
the machine in order:
o. Henry once wrote a story
about the Associated Charities.
making out the women in them to
lie simply automatons. and think
q great many people share the
prejudice, but IL they could see
how each worker brings her own
Individuality into action. they
would appreciate how much hu-
man sympathy regulates each ap-
plicant and how careful they are
to work from that applicants
point of view.
Some clever cynic. in parodying
St. Paul, remarked: Faith. hope.
and charity. and the greatest OF
these is a sense Of humor. Right
there is the keynote CT our mod
ern social service.
Int - Oir1a Uhn give
up a morning in each week to
read to babies in hospitals. to
teach an infant sewing class. to
do various little jobs which oc-
cupy them for about three hours.
and when that's done they hurry
to some tea. given probably for
charity'-what charity they don't
know or care-and never give
another thought to the thousands
of people who need their help.
Their intentions are excellent, but
they don't understand that the
great demand today is personal
service.
Thoughtfulness for Others.
Their. are MANY men and women In
Washington who each day are helping
some one to find life less of q burden
simply by coming into contact with
them AID lending themselves to the
task 1t isn't a question Of social
obligation or duty or religious prin-
ciple, it's simply thoughtfulness for
others. which comes as naturally as
walking. To the trained workers 1t
is. of course, a business proposition.
n~r-
tainly earn their salaries. The va
riety of work they crowd into
twenty-four hours is colossal. Even
If some fraud is practiced upon
them, they do their best to right the
. wrong and give aid in any case.
When a family once realizes that
it can get milk and coal without.
working for them. it's going to do all
it can to continue getting them.
Every day instances Of the worlds
narrOwTs<ss, coarseness, and iminor-
ality come into the office, and. IN a
businesslike way, are regulated as
far as possible by tie men and
women whose lives are taken pp by
such instances, and whose unwarped
sense of humor holds them aloof
from cynicism and keeps in them
straightforward wholesomeness Of
mind.
Human nature Is dreadfully disap-
pointing, and the types that drift
into the office are not exactly condu-
Give to hope in the welfare Of the
nation. One might easily begin to
wonder, What's the use?" If one
had no sense Of humor.
One Example of Fraud.
There was one mild little man,
with pale blue eyes, who wandered
in one morning. carrying two large
suit cases. His name was Jones. and
he told a tale Of wife and baby
who were anxiously awaiting his re-
turn up North somewhere, but he
had lost his money or run out of
funds. or something like that
Washington iS the hardest place on
earth to get work, and the wages
correspond. Mr.. Jones was finally
landed in a job as caretaker or
watchman somewhere in the sub
urbs. He departed rejoicing. leaving
the suit cases. Not long afterward
a detective, hot on his trail, appear
ed in the office. Mr.. Jones was
wanted for grand larceny, having
Child. The suit cases contained
clothing stolen In Richmond.
Among other things, Mr.. Jones was
a professional gambler. and carried.
so the detective said. very nasty
little Colt automatic. He was finally
caught, though it seemed ridiculous
to put such a meek, gentle little
creature as he appeared in Jail
Incidents like that are dishearten-
irg, but. fortunately, there are the
other kind. which are more frequent.
There is at present under the care
OF a volunteer worker a family that
is responding nobly to treatment. \
home library was her means Of en-
tering the family-that is. a box of
books. TO which she has the key,
sent from the library. Every week
for couple OF hours she went to
the house and read or played with
the children until she had the entire
neighborhood clamorinG for books.
One Appreciative Family.
Her particular family. however.
gradually claimed her entire atten-
ton, for the husband didn't sup
Port his wife. who was sick. and all
the children were in need of med
ical treatment. With much tact. she
persuaded the mother to allow the