Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-03
WILL MAKE ONE
DAY CANVASS To
SECURE AM0UN
Social Service Bureau VI.
Have Friday for thea-
Giving of Pledges
INCREASED COST n
LIVE HITS HARD

A one day fund raising campaigns
Will be conducted Friday by the vs.
pello Couonty Social Service bureau.
The directors and friends Of the
organization are to meet at supper this
evening at Claude Myers to map out
the final plans for the work. Teams
will start about $3.50 o'clock In the
morning and keep at 1t all day.
breaches Preparedness.
The greatly increased cost Of living
expenses has been brought out at tho
bureau office perhaps more clearly.
than anywhere in the city. In speak
ing Of 1t the secretary, Miss Sara ~,
Brown, breaches preparedness and
says that that alone spells efficiency. J.
She continued with saying that one
fact is conceded, namely, the increased1
cost Of the necessities of Efe-food,s
fuel and clothing.
Local prices are no exception" Miss
Brown continued, land whatever tho
causes they are beyond the control Of
the local merchants. Another fact:
we all must face frankly and openly
is that every family In Wapsllo county
that is not able to live up to its nor.
NAL standards during the next twelve
months will sacrifice health, self In
dependence and industrial efficiency.
"a responsibility rests upon the;
whole community to reduce this loss.
to the lowest point. Increase wages
in every possible instance. Do not re-
duce amount of work but increase IT..
Anticipate work and keep the labor
market up to the present standard at
least. For those hit harf/st, plan
ahead that the Social Service bureaM'
may not only prevent actual suffering
but may prevent permanent loss oI
efficiency and health. y.
"Just figure for yourself-$65 a
month income. $3.50 per day. twenty
six working days Per month. The 0x-
penses for family Of five, father and
mother and three school children.
There Is rent, SO; food, $36; fuel. 81
clothes, SO; insurance, $1.5o. This rss
quires work every day of the month exs
cept Sundays and makes no allowances
for church, medical care, recreation or.
the numerous other things Just a.
essential to most Of US as food and
fuel"
Faets About the Bureau.
The Social Service Bureau of W.
pello county originated with the busi-
ness men Of Ottumwa.
It looks upon relief work as fundar
mentally a business proposition and
secures economy and efficiency of
management by employing paid eoot
retary trained for the work.
1t combines public and private char
tiles under the same expert leadezshlp
by allowing its secretary to be appoint-
ed overseer Of the poor. IL
| It insists on competent and thor
ough investigation Of all Its relief
cases and preserves = complete regis,
tration of individuals needing or apply
/ ing for assistance.
| 1t maintains q central bureau Of In
formation and confidential exchange
which Is at the service Of all social
agencies in the community In order
that duplication Of effort, waste OF
fraud may be avoided.
In renders immediate, adequate and
as far as possible supervised relief:
seeking always to discover and rem
edy conditions productive Of poverty
disease or crime.
Its efforts are constructive and lool
always toward family rehabihtatioH
trying to aid the poor. to help them
selves thus preserving their self 70
spect and making productive citixe0s
instead of habitual dependents
1t puts into the community secre-
tary who Is a social physician whose
business is to discover and aid the
needy and unfortunate and always IN
the spirit OF not aims but friend.
Mayor Endorses Work.
Writing to the executive commits.
sioners of the bureau under recent
date, Mayor Fred II. Carter said:
We are living In time when pub
licity OF things worth while is the
means by which advancement Is made
\ and with this thought In mind l am
very glad to express to the subscrib.
ers to the Social Service bureau and
to the public in general NJ apprecia-
ton Of the splendid services rendered
to the city by the bureau.