New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-27
Relief Work at Home
Needy Suffering and Contributions
Don't Keep Pace With Costs
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In my judgment the time has come
when this community must seriously consider
its local obligations with regard 70 relic.
and welfare work However much we would
like to, we cannot blink the fact that the
rapidly increasing cost of food, particularly
milk, is resulting in deprivations az our front
door, the results of which are already be-
ginning to be read in the morbldity and
mortality statistics of the Health Depart.
ment. Neither can we blink the fact ths.
right in our midst there are suffering women
and children-women and children who are
without clothing, who are without blankets
for their beds, for whom coal is either not
available or beyond their ability to purchase.
And this in families where there has been
active tuberculosis during the year, families
in which there are many little children w'o
are tuberculous suspects now, and who will
inevitably become actively tuberculous unless
sufficient food and warm clothing can h
assured for them.
1t has been recognized fully by local r.
CARNATIONS that heavy readjustments mus
be made in local work by virtue Of war cor.
ditons; that some activities must be given
up or postponed until after the war that
economies that would have seemed impossi-
bic before the war must be enforced in this
field during the war just as IN every other
. field of human endeavor.
These changes have already been MADE
There is obviously a limit, however, be'v
which this work cannot drop without sero.
loss to the lives and health of the childrsa
and others who are being assisted. That
stage in most phases of social work in New
York has, believe, been reached; that which
is now being attempted is the irredueioIs
minimum which somehow simply must be
done as a measure OF human conservation
and physical and civic preparedness. More
than that, the war itself brings new local
problems which must be faced.
As the executives Of one of the Oldest ana
largest relief organizations in the city, d.
voted to looking after the immediate needs
of families in distress because OF sicsne"
or death, we feel that we owe an obligation
to the public to tell them frankly what the
situation is before il is allowed to beeon'
more acute.
As evidence Of the fact that social welfsf'
organizations have made rigid economics, ~
me state that the paid staff of workers D
the relief and nursing bureaus In this o.
ganization has been reduced from ninety-sH
in October, 1916. to seventy-seven in Ocse~'
1917. The association has also given up ~
of its branch Offices and has given up ess
cffce space in order 70 make further er,F
mics. Further saving in this direction
wholly impossible without serious detnms''
to our work. In spite Of the fact that ne"
was slightly smaller number Of famiNa
in our care last month than the correspond
ing month year ago, our expense ior n'
terial relief in these homes was Sl3.lZo ~
compared with s12714, and this in spite
the fact that we have been unable TO inereas'
:he allowances for food as much as the co"
of food has actually increased. Our hon'
Hospital, which cares for tuoerculon
families. in spite of every possible econony
was obliged to increase its budget OF expenal..
lures from slO6,34O TO slls,562 Over l"~
| families in which there was tubercuos.
have been compelled 10 come 20 this assoc.
alton for help during the last year. Nesee'
of them will but mean an increase in .S'
toll which this disease will place upon wv
community in the future.
/ There has not been a corresponding inere'''
In income from contributions and donations
Last year we met our obligations only sI'',
the greatest difficulty in raising suosSn",
deficit. The very rapid increase IN the COZ
of food and all necessities, and partlc'I~H
the great increase which has taken place
the price of milk, has resulted as reeen' "
oures have demonstrated, in a reduction
the consumption of food particularly m..
in many families far below the standsrS.
required for the maintenance OF neaiS..
nutrition. This need must in some way
met. "A
More money is being contributed IN 80
York City for philanthropic purposes 'n,
ever before in srite of increased deInsn-.
on the part Of the government through
! creased taxes. And yet local needs are
serious danger of not being met even On e..
minimum basis However great the saenH'.
demanded to meet these needs, they ns.
! somehow be met, and cannot but feel 'o..
when these needs, in their nskedness'
made public they will be met. a..
! For this reason | am frankly asking -
assistance Of your columns in making nv
20 the public, in way which would o'a..
wise be impossible. the need which eN -.
and which directly affects each OF US v"
must buy Liberty bonds. We must suppV.
, the Red Cross We must support me o'ai. .
essential war charities, but while dong
we must not fail 10 meet the less obvious - -.
less dramatic. but very very pressing ns.S'
at our door. BAILEY 3. BURRii ..
General Director New York Association ."
Improving the Condition Of the PeeA