The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-16
HIGH COST OF RELIEF.

relief organizations, all with the most deserving
stated purpose, but unfortunately not In every
case with an eye single to the relief OF the de-
serving. A case is now under investigation IN
| New York City where self appointed "direc-
tor general whose commission received
over seven thousand dollars from generor
and confding public, says that with the excep
ton of two hundred and fifty dollars the money
raised thus far had not been used rrehef work,
but for organization purposes. report made
by firm of public accountants on the finances
jof the commission states that ''the disburse
ments consisted entirely of salaries of the di
rector general and his staff. So far as we have
been able to ascertain there are a number of
debts still unpaid against which there no
funds available And, to cap this climax,
the liabilities amount to over one thousand dol
lars
The financial secretary of the organization
admits that call the contributions thus far
have been expended for organization of the
commission. It is now ready to go ahead with
war relief work, and after the war, / under
stand, it is to be perpetuated as sort of gen.
eral relief fund for the miseries of mankind
And this was an organization of which Alton
B. Parker, once candidate for president of the
United States, was named president, and Col
onel Roosevelt, honorary vice president. As
eral and his staff was unquestioned and their
zeal for the relief of war victims and the subse-
f uent perpetual alienation Of the "miseries of
mankind'' was indisputable, their financial
management must call for the severest criti-
lcism A commission which extracts seven
thousand dollars from sympathetic public for
war relief and spends it for organization pur-
iiposes before it gets ready to relieve the osten-
sible objects of the fund is not economical
enough to warrant further public confidence.
The public men who permit the use of their
names to invite popular confidence in other
wise irresponsible organizations should be
more careful in the use to which their names
are applied. And especially should the public be
more careful in its investigation of organiza
tons before contributing to them. An inquiry
addressed to the American National Red Cross
would avoid the risk Of having generous con-
tributions spent for Organization purposes"
or used as "a sort of general relief fund for the
miseries of mankind instead of for the def
mite relief intended.
It is unfortunate that Justice Brandeis ow-
ing to the mass Of business that fills the hopper
of the United States supreme court, has been
obliged to inform the president that he is I'M
able to accept the designation to serve as a
member of the joint commission which will at
tempt to solve the O1IIefenceS between un1S
country and Mexico. However, Secretary Lane
will stick. and that gives promise of large
measure of sense in consideration of the prob
lens to be faced. Whoever is to be named in
place of Justice Brandeis will have to measure
we'll in ability if favorable comparison is to be
had in view of the original appointee's men
tally.
It has been popular to refer to this country
as ssthe melting pot' for number of years.
Ism 4 it about time the liquid was poured and
hardened into something nationalg
There is one sure thing about a strike-the
general public never has the slightest doubt
that whoever wins. it will have to pay for the
victory one way or another.
Illinois republicans have promised lOO,ooo
nlnralitv for Hughes. All Mr.. Hughes has to
do is collect
Women are just as well fitted for the ballot
as men. But there's nothing in that to make
them proud.
The republicans won the congressional base
ball game. The first political straw OF the
seasonl