Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21
Another Dope
For Democracy
py Frederic ]. Ha.kin

w Washington H. l., DECEMBER - .--
What seems r brand new panacea for
Ills which democracy IS heir 10. or other
wise comes By, and brand new angle
on internal reconstruction have been
developed in the Mohawk Brighton g.
cial Unit of Cincinnati, Ohio. How the
scheme works became known here last
week when MIR and Mrs. Wilbur G.
Phillips, founders Of the Social Unit.
came 70 Washington on business CON
nected with the scheme
II IS the belief of the sponsors OF the
Cincinnati Social Unit plan that the
closest approach 10 working democracy
in this country is that which EXISTS IN
the small village This is. Of course
looking at il from the standpoint Of
cooperation and community service
In village The wealthiesf landowner
Is acquainted with the poorest labo1ng
man; with his history and his connection
He shows or at least is expected 20
show fraternal interest in ms vel
fare-whlch need 20 no further than
finding him new job when he needs 1t
or sending his wife an occasional basket
Of provisions. Down at Chatham Land
ing, when Mrs. Whipple, the widow,
IS taken suddenly to bed with an attack
Of influenza, and her daughter, $50
miles away. at Normal School, il Is
considered no more than right for Mrs.
Virgins who lives in the next house,
to take charge OF the premises, and
nurse Mrs Whpple until her daughter
can return.
That. In way, is the idea which MIR
and Mrs. Phillips and their co-workers
have applied 10 the Mohawk-Brighton
district oi Cincinnati. Cincinnati was
selected for the experiment because II
was thought 20 contain more average
conditions, than any OF the fifteen other
Brighton-a peculiar section OF Gin
cinnsti-was chosen because 1t wes be-
heved TO be the one where the Socisl
Unit plan might be tried out with best
results. 1t was tenement district with
out being q slum district.
sit Is the size OF our city communi-
ties" contends Mrs. Phillips, which
prevents people from knowing their
own needs, individually or As a group.
In village no one can be III or out OF
Job without everyone else knowing
about it. Oftener than not, there is
someone in the village, usually woman,
who makes il her business to do some
thing about 1t.
This is the situation We have tried
to initiate in the Mohawk Brighton
Social Unit, We overcome vaSio esS'
by dividing our districts into riupS.
As rule these groups are nothingtlore
than city blocks.
Village MOTHER
In each of the Social Units woman
has been chosen 20 act as IA sort Of village
mother She is elected by the residents
of her block. and it is her job 10 know
what is wrong with each individual
members of her group. She IS pald y
small sum- in order that she may have
her housework done for her. and thus
be at liberty TO devote all Of her time 10
her nelghbors.
Furthermcre, the village mother
is her blocks representative 10 the
Citizens District Council, one OF
the two bodies controlling the Social
Unit The council is made up entirely
of such '.rnotliers" and has one execu-
tive elected from among its members
In the council arc taken UP the indi
vidual needs Of individual families and
measures TO ill the needs are vote d.
There is another body called the
o,cupational council In this, each
occupational group is represented BY
an elected member Thus export skill
in virtually all lines is thoroughly mo
bilized
More than anything else, a paTtlc-
ular attention has been paid to hygiene
Practically the greatest medical skill
in the country has been requlsitIoned
fer the Unit The leading physicians
OF the country have formed a committee
before which the council of Cincinnati
physicians can lay any problem brought
forward by the council o. district
PHYSICIANS
80 that Mrs Phillips points out,
IF a peculiarly crippled child should
be found in the Social Unit district
which the local physicians are unable
to cure, the, greatest surgical skill IN
the country would be available for it. !"
In the same manner lawyers nurses,
artists, dentists, architects, business men,
all have q place in the occupational
council, ID nd their knowledge aud in
f1uence are brought 20 bear on heprobloms
OF the peo pie.
AID TO PUhLtC HEALTH.
Public health nursing has been an
important feature Of the work of the
Mohawk brighton Unit and perhaps
the single line III which most success
has been attained. Several Of the Gin
cinnati relief organizations. which agreed
To cooperate with the Social Unit plan,
did SO by turning over all Of the nursing