New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
DR.. Bernstein Says Wire
Tapping Quiz Befogged
Real Charities Issue.
EVILS IN ASYLUMS
CRY FOR REMEDY
Education and Vocational Train.
ing Neglected, According
to Investigator.

DR.. Ludwig b. Bernstein, one Of the
three Investigators appointed by Chart
ties Commissioner Kingsbury to report
on the treatment of dependents in the
asylums of the city, yesterday said that
the overlapping controversy was be-
Jogging the original issue. He called
attention again to the inhuman condi-
tions he and the other Investigators
found in public homes for children and
adults. Out of their report and the
succeeding investigation by Commits
sioner Strong, he said. came the scan
dial which resulted in Father Farrell
accusing city officials Of listening to
his telephone conversations with Mon
signor Dunn, Dean Potter and others
after ALL said DR.. Bernstein, at
the Hebrew Sheltering Guardian So
ciety. Pleasantville, y. Y, of which he
is superintendent, "the overlapping
affair is merely side issue. Don't let
il befog the fact that horrible condi-
tions exist in many of cur institutions
! We live in the twentieth century and
not in the tenth. There are certain
duties and responsibilities TO our de-
pendent children, our citizens of to-
morrow, which we must observe, ire
spective OF overlapping or other side
! issues. If there is any attempt to draw
the veil over existing conditions by a
plea of tapping let us toss 1t aside
Education Disregarded.
"The committee OF Investigators wa:
Imnressed with the fact that many OF
| the institutions lacked the essentials
of modern child-caring. The majority
of the institutions did not dream OF
providing the most elementary KINDS
; OF recreation. the most elementary
/ kinds Of civic training. With very re"
executions they had made no adequate
provisions for vocational training IL
majority Of the institutions the edU
cation of children ended with the sew
enth school year, no attempt oelnl
made to give any high school training
In many institutions the children were
discharged with no future prospects
In many institutions the girls were
made servant girls. In other homes th'
] ideal employment for boys was 'hst o
Office or errand boy.
Admires Mayors Courage.
81 could enumerate hundreds Of sucs
medieval methods ! found that II
a great many asylums the personnel .
| those who came in touch with the chill
dren was very unsatisfactory. In on
! institution the janitor was the hea'
supervisor of the children. In SOM
homes servants were appointed TO TAX
charge of the girls departments,
we are not giving the chidren
square deal If we permit the real lssu
/ TO be bofogged. Commissioners Kings
/ bury has made history for himself, am
his administration will be epoch max
ing in the development of child carlnI
in America. He has fought for an non
est treatment of our dependent chi
dren and adults. The constructlV
work accomplished under his admins
tration will not only benefit the 2o,VO'
/ children at present in the city lnstltu
/ tions. but will stimulate much petIe
/ work for the $4,000 dependent ana de
/ ferceless children in chiid-carlng ihstl
/ tItions all over the country.
/ "As for Mayor Mitchell | can say onl!
one thing. Here is man who. won
Iet the issue be clouded. ! admire th'
Wonderful courage of the mana mar
vbo. in face of religious bias displayet
nv his co-reigionists, dared TO stsh'
by his convictions