The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-01
Giving Under Its Direction Is Not
Wasteful, Nor Is There Dupli-
cation Of Effort as is
often True.
FIND OUT REAL CAUSE
This is Purpose Of Investigation Which
is Conducted on Every Case
Reported to the
Society.

DdITSIl Oh furniture WIN the AeXCep-
ton of a large water cask of which
both top and stop cock are wide open.
New inmates are given the task Of
filling this cask as one Of the tests.
If they continue pouring water into
the top without closing the stop cock
they are deemed needing medical
treatment.
Would not this test If applied to
much of the so called charity, show
false methods being used? Would 1t
not reveal the fact that we were very
often pouring in at one END that
which we allowed to run off helpless
ly, wastefully at the other?, The
United Charities strives through the
adjustment of the faucets to conserve
the source Of help and rehabilitate
families pouring into them the heal
ing streams Of endeavor and sympa-
thy which otherwise would trickle
away utterly wasted.
The United Charities believes that
poverty Is far different thing from
the crushing restitution which de-
stroys SO many families. 1t believes
that in restitution there is nothing
normal and that when a family asks
relief for the first time every effort
should be made to put it's members
methods Of procedure are not greatly
different from those Of a physician
except in the material used. Both
strive to restore the patient to a nor
NAL condition. With the social work
err possibly more than with the physi-
clan is preventive work being pushed.
He believes that to prevent is better
than to cure and that both are neces-
sary.
When the call comes the first thing
to do is to visit the home Of the fam
lily and if need exists, relieve 1t from
the nearest grocery store or coal bin.
Then comes the endeavor to deter
mine the cause of distress. AS a
physician diagnoses a case Of sickness
so the social worker investigates and
discovers the cause of need.
Purpose OF Investigation.
Investigation is not for the purpose
Of dividing people into worthy and
unworthy, but to find out the real
cause of trouble and so furnish a
basis upon which to work sympathetic
provement of conditions wl..ln the
family Investigation gives The train
ed worker a much better idea of his
patient than has the physician after
he has felt the pulse, looked at the
tongue and registered the tempera-
ture. Investigation then instead of
being a hardship upon those requir-
ing material aid is in reality a great
kindness for it allows the social physi-
clan to strike right at the heart Of
the trouble and by eliminating that,
assist the patient back to his right
full position in the community.
While the diagnosis is being made,
every effort possible is used to pre-
vent suffering and when the cause
mas been determined those remedies
and means necessary for its removal
and restoration of the sufferer are
employed. They may consist largely
of material relief in the way of food,
shelter and clothing; nursing in the
way Of personal contact with whole
some, resourceful and successful indi-
viduaIs who will give of that vital
personal force which encourages and
enthuses the patient to greater efforts
in his own behalf.
The United Charities work is not
merely for the families but with them
A plan for rehabilitation must be care
fully considered from all points if it
is to be successful must include the
cooperation Of the family itself as
well as that of private agencies, city
and county departments or individu
ais and perhaps all Of these working
/ together with the same end in view
self support.
! Study the following problem in the
light Of United Charities meLnods
Mary Brown, a well educated and in
dustrious good looking woman OF
! forty, in early nfe married skilled
mechanic and became the mother OF
happy family of boys and girls. Sick
ness came into the home and finally
! the great reaper Death" cut dowr
the bread winner while still in his
/ full health. The struggle for her chill
dren against great odds with little Oh
no encouragement aided husband
number two in his suit. This disheart
ened and discouraged woman though
to ease her burdens by taking VI
those of a man. They were married
and for a year or two all went well
About the time little Fritz was borr
the husband began showing signs o
violent temper and soon lost his job
1ac o