The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-19
She EXPLAINS IT.
Lillian III. Moore Tells of Schamber
Aid Case.
Editor State Journal:

Editor State Journal:
In reply to the article appearing in
Sundays paper under the caption:
without food, baby i'll, yet woman
denied aid 1 desire to say that
called Saturday afternoon at SIT Fair
child street and talked with Mrs.
Schamber, who ives busy making
preparations to GO to the county over
seers office to ask for help, as, she
said, her friends told her that "other
people got help there and she might
as well ask for help too
1 inquired several times if she
needed groceries, ard she simply re-
iterated what she had previously stat
ed, that her friends told her to ask
the county for help as others were
getting help there and she might as
we'll have her share" When 1 final
ly asked what it was that she did want
she said it was to have some one stay
with the children when she went back
to work. 1t was while trying to plan
some way that that might be accom-
plished that Mrs. Schamber first re-
fused any assistance, and also stated
that she did not want me to interview
them to help her. When I suggested
that her family might be able to assist
her she said that they might help only
they like to dress too we'll" The
children were eating apples and bread
and appeared fairly well dressed. This
was about the mldGle or the AFTER
noon.
Mrs. Schamher was unwilling to ask
assistance from her relatives; her
whole contention being that The coun-
ty should help. 1t was just to combat
this erroneous impression in the
minds of the general public that 1 was
appointed investigator by the county
commissioners, and to protect the tax
PAYERS to the extent of seeing that the
fund for the relief of the poor of the
Oh ha in G
and intelligent manner as possible in
order that those who were entitled to
relief should have it, and that those
who had other resources upon which
to draw should use them. To the de-
pendent class public funds appear in
exhaustible, ard theirs an inalienable
right to the uses thereof rega rdleSS of
circumstances.
/ did not refuse h clip at any time,
but Mrs. Schamber urged me not to
interview her mother, sisters and
brother (ncth;ng was said about a
srandfather) but requested me fur
thar to 90 nothing more ir- the matter.
She followed me outside the gate to
tell me that she wanted me to drop
the matter entirely.
AS Mrs. Schamber's relatives Give
of whom are wage earrerS) live with
in block of her and are familiar with
her circumstances. It is unreasonable
to assume that they would permit the
family to suffer "over Sunday" DIR.
Plummer has been attending the baby
for two weeks and would doubtless
have notified the Public Health NurS-
ing association If he had thought
nurse necessary or desirs BILE without
waiting for my call which he could not
possibly have anticipated.
This has never been reported to the
Providert association to my knowl
edge, as it was purely a county mat
ter. A representative talked with
both Mr.. Floyd and Mrs. Callahan of
the Providtnt association, either of
whom could have given him my ad-
dress ard telephone number had he
requested them.
This is not family of paupers, and
it IS unfair to herald them abroad as
such; an effort toward rehabilitation
of this family is what should be made,
as with a little intelligent work with
the family it would soon be self-sup
porting. Such charity as was extend
ed is misplaced and would tend to
promote dependency
LILLIAN H. MOORE.
1871 CO1IeOa aUeOno