Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-11
ORGANIZATION is PREPAREDNESS

A oUIBBLING lawyer when told that h,
n should think as much of his neighbor as
of himself asked, "who is my neighbour"
The answer was given in little story about
n man who set out on a journey. on the way
he was attacked by hghwaymen. They beat
him, took his money and stripped him of his
clothes and left him half-dead. a clergyman
| who passed that way his plight but took
no notice of it because the man did not live
| In his parish Then an elder happened along,
| gave a hasty glance at what he thought was a
drunken wretch in the gutter and pulled his
coat close about him and went Ids way. A
plain man, with no pretensions OF any kind
followed He was sorry for the unfortu-
nate and stopped to see what he could do to
relieve him. He washed the mans bruises,
bound up his cuts, and helped him to an inn
where he took care of him. AS the injured
man had not recovered enough to continue
his Journey his rescuer left him at the inn,
first giving him some money and ordering
the proprietor to do what was necessary for
the traveller and put the cost in his BILL which
he would pay when next he passed that way
This anecdote, which appears in a very old
book, is frequently quoted justification for
indscrminate charity. Many man who
wants to salve his conscience for refusing to
make one of the many charitable organiza-
tions his almoner, has said that he believes in
immediate relief of obvious suffering. when
a man is starving he needs food at once, and
cannot wait until a society has tried to find
out whether he is worthy" is what is fire.
quently put forward.
Whatever may have been the case at one
time, there is no charitable society of any
consequence today that does not relieve i'm
mediate need at once. The largest society in
4t.s. 90 ,,,.l,,
food were supplied to freezing and starving
family within an hour and a half after the
need was reported
Modern charity does more than relieve i'm
mediate need. 1t has been discovered that
the easiest way to pauperize family is to
subsidze it by charity, and that the surest
way to make family Independent and self
respecting is to put it in the way of self
support as soon as possible. Ten dollars
spent in the pay of district workers who in
quire into the wants of a family, find work
for the able-bodied members and keep
friendly oversight for a few weeks months
will produce greater returns to society than
that amount spent for food and fuel.
The Society for Organizing Charity, which is
a sociological exhibit in the Wide
ner Building is attempting to administer re-
lief in the modern way. 1t is in touch with |
all of the other charitable societies of the |
,ity and co-operates with them, not only in
first aid, but in the more important and more
difficult work of putting men and women on
their own feet. 1t used 100000 last year,
Of which $4,000 was devoted to what is called
relief that is, direct aid to families |
In need. But it used nearly $4,000 more in
he maintenance of wayfarers' lodges and
shelters and in the pay of the district work
,rs. This seems to indicate that about 70
cents Of every dollar is used in some form
If direct or indirect relief
This society, however, Is only one of about
hree thousand that are appealing to the pub
ic for money. one society for every six hum
lred of population is too many. There is
waste of time and energy and money in du-
Dlication of effort. Intelligent preparation for
the drain upon the community
,aused by rellevable dependence requires that
L large number OF these organizations should
be disbanded and that there should be greater
concentration of effort. Poverty cannot be
but society owes it to itself to do
Ill in its power to prevent an increase in the
number of paupers. Many a family now liv-
ng charity can become and remain self
supporting if it has the assistance of a kindly
ldviser.
There is no doubt of this, because it has
however, has to be considered by itself just
IS the physician considers the peculiarites of
each patient. If it were not for these pecu-
iarities patent medicine could be prepared
or every i'll and physicians would prescribe to
thousand persons at once. Social relief
,annot be administered wholesale or by mex
pert persons with any greater degree of sue
,ess than medical relief.
The man who took care of the trt veler who
ell among thieves administered first aid in
he proper way When the sufferer had re-
covered from his wounds his benefactor with
out doubt got him job, If he needed 1t, but
At any rate he saw the thing through. The
Inference between impulsive, emotional spas
nodic charity and intelligent social relief lies
n the determination of those who practice
the latter to do their work thoroughly, and
lot to be content with glow Of self f-satisfac-
lion when they give a cast-off garment to a
oeggar who calls at the door.
There must be more of the kind of work
he Society for Organizing Charity is engaged
n before We can touch the fringe of the
problem Of saving from the scrap heap the
thousands who in danger OF becoming
burdens upon society, There is
too much imprOyident relief OF the improvi-
dent.