Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-05-13
SOCIAL WORKERS
/ ARE URGED TO DO
BETTER SERVICE
Real Test for Charity Coming,
Baltimore Convention Speak
ers Declare.


BALTIMORE, May 13.-Service to
humanity, the tightening of the
burdens of the weak and the strength
ening of the backs that bear them,
was the keynote of the great meet
Ing at the Academy Of Music last
night, with which the forty second
annual session of the National Con-
ference of Charities and Correction
was begun.
This note was sounded by every
speaker. 1t was voiced by Cardinal
Gibbons, clad in the red robes of his
high ecclesiastical office, who de-
liyered the invocation at the begin
ming of the meeting, and it was ex-
pressed in earnest and impressive
manner by Mrs. John M. Glenn, pres
ident of the conference, robeo in
somewhat sombre black, whose ad-
dress closed the evenings exercises.
In her address Mrs. Glenn discussed
In a broad, general way the prob
lens which social workers have heen
called upon to deal with in the last
year and outlined some of those they
will be called upon to face in the
year to come.
I'VE come together" she said. "a
body of social workers who have
passed through a winter which has
made heavier demands on our ener-
giles than has any other winter of our
experience. Many of us come to this
conference worn in body, depressed
In spirit, after fighting what has
seemed in many instances to be
losing fight to keep standards of
work high. We have been torn by
conflicting claims on our sympathies;
the claim made by those who have
suffering at home, the claim made by
those who have been suffering
abroad. We have had to face re-
trenchment in work that we know to
be important, and we have seen the
emphasis shift from preventive and
constructive effort to remedial and
palliative aid.
Eve social workers are now brought
face to face with realities as never
before, and 1t is we that are going to
be put to the test. If, as Professor j..
p. Jacks writes in the April issue of
the Yale Review, Conscience and
common sense will assert their
rights and only the very simplest
things will stand the test of the time,
it is for us to stand prepared to give
an explanation OF the reason that
leads us to take any given action or
make any particular effort in behalf
of our less fortunate follows.
Better pay for work-house prison.
ers was urged by Karl l.. Schreiber,
superintendent of the parole depart
ment of the Board of Public Welfare
in Kansas City, Mo-, In his address
at this mornings session.
In line with the modern purpose of
Imprisonment, which was largely to
straighten out the attitude of the
criminal towards society and to in
still him with O desire to mako
good" when liberated, Mr.. Schneider
declared that the community which
allowed its penal institutions to turn
out human products much the worse
for Incarceration should close their
doors altogether to keep other un-
fortunates out.
Telling of economies and benefits
worked by the municipal farm at
Kansas City, Mr. Schneider recon-
mended such institutions to other
communities. He told how the pris-
oners at the Kansas City farm had
erected their own buildings and
largely provided their own equip
ment and reduced the net cost for
each prisoner day TO only 24.7 cents.
Every year this cost was being still
further reduced. The farm, he said.
provided work of many kinds to the
benefit of the prisoners health and
earning capacity, and during the last
few days of a prisoners stay on the
farm his wage was increased to 81
per day and the sum earned was
given to the men for their needs
when liberated.
The Board of Public Welfare. which
has charge of the municipal farm,
also allowed to every family depend
ent upon prisoners at the farm an
amount up to 81 a day.
Pointing out evidences of the in
Justice to men who had been turned
out of the work-houses and peniten-
tiaries without any improvement In
their condition, he said: Let us give
n wage to the man who earns it and
allow him to come out from the
prison with clean, pressed clothes
some money in his pocket and with
the assistance of some organization
to get him started right, or with
some place to go besides his old
haunts" He said the inmate of the
work. house was to be considered a
citizen, not criminal. HE needs
help because he failed before, and his
success will depend upon the encour-
agement and assistance he will re-
ceive from those who know his weak
nesses and how best to help him
overcome them"
Robert d. Dripps, executive seere-
tary of the Public Charities Associa-
tion of Philadelphia, In discussing
"the policy of State aid to private
charities" said students of the sub
ject, as well as those engaged in So
oial work, seemed fairly unanimous
as to the undesirability of having
such a policy adopted by any State
which has so far succeeded in carry
Ing on It's charitable work without 1t.