The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-14

of the present administration
toward so-Callcd social service
by the municipality
At this time two extreme views
upon this subject ar, finding express
sion. one view is that of persons who
believe that the city ought to hew its
budget down to the absolute minimum
required for running the executive
departments. who regard milk stations
and Fairgrounds and recreation piers
and public baths and other things OF
that kind as unnecessary and unwar-
ranted "frills." on the other hand
there are the people who think that
the city should go much further than
II now goes in spending the public
funds for the benefit of the poorer
classes; they advocate not only an
extension OF the socia service as rep
resented by baths and milk stations
and so on. but also the providing OF
some sort of relief or pension system
for the unemployed where work it.
self cannot he given.
Between these two extremes is the
moderate view--that which is he'd. 7
believe, by the vast majority OF the
citizens of New York. That is that
New York should meet the obligations
that rest upon any enlightened modern
community: that it should provide
relief for the destitute, hospital accom-
modations for the sick poor. adequate
educationa facilities for the children
and public baths and milk stations
and parks and Fairgrounds sufficient
to conserve the health of the com
munity and give the people reasonable
opportunities for recreation.
Some persons who are entire.y sin
cere in their desire To help the unfor-
tunate make the mistake of assum-
ing that New York city is a sovereign
power that it can do what ii pleases
in the way OF relieving such a stu
atilon as the present distressing one
OF unemployment. The city. however
Is not sovereign power and Is not
equipped either legally or financially
TO do many of the things 1t is asked
to do. The functions of its elective
officers singly and as members OF
boards, are regulated very closely by
the constitution and avs of the
State. This limitation and the linn
itation Imposed hy the condition Of the
city treasury are insurmountable OH
stacles In the way OF such open hand
edness as was recently recommended
TO the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tlonment.
To my mind. the CITY administration
in pursuing progressive common
sense policy in social service. II Is
not running wild on social, d "fads'
and "frillS", but It is determined to
keep abreast Of the times in SERVING
the public. There are some branches
OF social service in which New York
n well to the fore, and it should be ;
there are others in which IT Is stll
behind most of the other large cities
OF the country. A comparison Of our
case with that Of other communities
that pretend to be progressive viii
show that v,rv clearly.
When there If talk Of "extrava-
gance" on the part OF the admlnistra-
ton. the most convincing answer u
the critics is to ask them what activl-
ties of the city government should he
dispensed with. Their inability to
give even a moderately plausible re-
ply Is pretty good evidence of the city
governments moderation.
Would you close up any Of the
parks, or stop acquiring new park
sites? Would you stop supplying
pasteurzcd milk at cost in the poorer
sections, when you have proof that
this is saving the lives of thousands
OF babies annually? Would you fai
TO provide decent playground pace
when we already have much less thar
we need and when children are being
KILLED on the streets every day be-
cause they have no place to play,
Would you stop the building Of hos.
pitfalls and the improvem Mt Of sor'
vice in the hospitals we have wher
the accommodation are already in
adequate for the growing popu
lation? Would you fail to keep M
with the demand for sittinCs I'm tn
schools and to provide tn manua
training that is now recognized every
where as a most valuable feature .
the curriculum" Would You saVt
Be- money by allowing public relief build
ings such as almshouses, to remaiT
IN such an unsanitary and nth,
condition as to make them unfit 70
habltatlon?
The only answer to any Of thcs
questions j. obviously n negative \
the time the annual budget was mad,
Iag fal hn In n