New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-03
Relief Work Is
Han1pered by
Hylan's DELAY
More Trained Social Work
ers Needed by Child Vel.
fare Board, Says Miss Loeb
Epidemic Piles Up Cases
Pension Awards Await In
vestisations Meanwhile
the Poor Mothers Suffer

As drab and cherries as her flat Al
1865 Third Avenue are the prospects
OF Mrs. Belle Patterson tor tho now
year. She is one of son victims who
ere chained to Mayor Hylans triumpbal
chariot of municipal economy by the
bonds OF poverty and sickness.
Her husband died on October
Of influenza She has three children
Mary is five years old, Joseph is two
and there is baby. nine months old
All are sickly. The baby is alarmjneh
frall 1t was not merry Christmas
! Tor them. nor does it look like happy
new year even though the Board of
child Welfare turns in 100000 to the
Sinking Fund.
More than month ago Mrs. pattor-
sen applied TO the Board of Child
Welfare for assistance in keeping her
family intact. She SAID Yesterday that
no word had yet reached her from thai
organization. 1t must come soon. she
added. TOR she WAS al the end of her
resources
But Mrs Patterson's is only one of
ooo cases that have piled up on the
Board Of Child Welfare since the in
Huenza epidemic took it's toll of the
city bread winners Under the law
pensions may not be awarded unti
Investigations have been made. IN
designations require trained sori.t
workers, and because they have not
peen supplied by MIR Hylan. tho relief
haO
ing widespread distress.
Not Enough Investigators
Sophie Irene Loeb. chairman Of The
board. yesterday said i'm answer TO onos-
tons by a Tribune reporter. that a.,
reason for the long delay in awarding
pensions was the fact that there wer.
not enough Investigators. She added
however. that the Mayor had promised
10 appoint a few this month. Miss
Loeb explained that she now had forty
TWO visitors TO take care of all case
coming TO the Office and expected thai
the Mayor would appoint SIX or eight
more soon.
Il believe there are about 800 case-
mat nave not been investigated and.
OF course under ia, iaw we cannn-
give reliei before we have had rcnor
on the family she said There is SON,
money beng returned to the sinkine
iund- think about 100000.
You must understand. however. +ba.
we were we'll up on Investigations be
lore the Influenza epidemic Then .ha
number Of cases increased from 10
70 3io a month. We are aireadv nay
ing pensions to 5000 widows and - 0nn
children. and under the law cur irvos
ll&atofs are required to visit each fam
ny quarterly. That means that before
we start any new cases we must make
zo,oOo VISITS year"
MISS Loeb refused to discus. fhe r.-
Port that Mayor Hglan had suggested
that the police women investigate
cases except to say that she was on-
po,e1 20 volunteer Investigators.
We seek to eliminate the idea
when we are giving aid that il is ms
old fashioned charity" said Miss Iooh
our people convey the idea to the
widows that the city wishes to helm
lhem IN substantial way TO bring IN
'nelr families and that tho CITY con
sioers 1t ITS duty to aid them. Each
family Is separate problem and a.
we OBSERVE the progress being made
we often reduce the allowance. There
- y, no waste IN running the Board o.
Cnlio "el1are It only costs the citr
'hree cents for executive work fa
spend one dollar. Some Of the Chart,
organizations spend much more than
this to give relief.
The law viii not allow us io sc
cept money from outside sources. ".
must make careful investigation be-
lore we grant pension and that. OF
course. takes time"
hat means that 500 more widow
would have received aid if YOU has
enough investigators ?' Miss Loeb was
asked.
Yes she responded. but Mavo4
Hylan is going to APPOINT Investigator.
very soon"
Robert ". Hebberd executive secrc.
tary Of the board, who is the active
head OF 1t, when questioned said that
more Investigators We're needed.
Mayor Refuses 10 Talk.
The heads of the various charity
organizations refused TO discuss the
matter for publication. An author
lty on sociological matters said: II
VIII have nothing to say about the
Board of Child Welfare except chat the
organization is trying to do right
on know 1t Is a very dangerous thing
to discuss or criticize the present al
mlniStration of the city. | am anN-
ious to see whatever good is being
done continued"
Patrick MaIon. of the BROOKLYN St
Vincent de Paul Society. said thai
on the whole the findings of the BOARD
of Child Welfare were reasonable and
added: 81 object to an unpaid board
on the ground that they cannot give
personal attention to the detail work.
This work must be left to an execu-
tive secretary who is not responsible
head"
Mr.. Mallon said he had very little
dealings with the board. but was an.
der the impression that it took about
three months for the granting of
pension after the application had been
filed
Mayor Hylan would not discuss the
matter.
700 Sleufhs Hunt E.anrohe