The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-02
Croker Was a Strong M an The Times Produced Many of His Kind Som e With Weak Minds Monkeys Do Not Or ganize-COmmunity Chest a Labor Saw ing Heart Sweller.

Bryce, in his American Common wealth" Croker was a type. strong, rude, fearless man. with much native intellect. and the gift for handl- ing an immigrant population. Men of the same kind appeared at the same time all over America. Be- hind these men were the American brains, the men of big business, of whom these were the agents. for the control of large masses of voters, not as yet instructed in the ideals of city government It is the same today. Behind the successful boss Is the big business man. When he pulls the blanks away, the boss falls.
 
 In Croker's day methods were comparatively rude. A primary brought free fights and a few mur- ders. Croker himself had been tried for murder. He was not convicted. and there was doubt of his guilt Things go better now. The present Tammany head has more skill, and probably more wealth. than Croker ever had. What was done by mani
 
 is done now by skillful charity and the intelligent use of patronage. Pow CT brings worshippers. Men of brains flocked to Crolker for promo tion, as they flock to Murphy now.
 
 A young Chilean millionaire. broth CT of Mrs Jack De Saulles, kills him. self in a Paris hotel for love of Peggy Joyce, an actress, rather we'll known, hut not for her art. DeSaulles' sis ter killed her husband. A young woman of family Is discovered in a cemetery. trying to commune with the spirit of her mother. A boy of 16 plays Indian. and shoots his chum In a stalking game. Something would happen to all of these people. The trouble Is inside their heads. In the case of the boy, it may be merely de- layed maturity.
 Monkeys have no organization Read what Thomas Carlyle says about them. Savage men have only a lit tie The first fighting is desultory. a natter of single combats. Nations with brains organize an army. Rome obtains & high degree of orsaniza- ton and conquers the world, very much to mutual profit
 The Roman fire department was not highly organized. A man named Crassus owned it for time. Often he put out the fire Often the house burned down, while Crassus bargain ed over the price. He died quite rich. Modern socially organized fire departments come quickly. and never stop to bargain. They put the fire out.
 Once a man was wounded on the road to Jericho. A certain good sa- him first aid. The habit of the pop uIatIon was to go bye on the other side. Modern help isn't like that. Get wounded on the road to North Bridgeport. and you'll be landed in a hospital in no time. and get the best treatment modern science can furnish.
 Bridgeport help is organized. IL
 
 works every time The need Of a human being in sore distress isn't committed to the accidental arrival Of kind hearted person. The stranger in the city, the child who is III, the youth in need of specialized training, the sick mother who wants n trained nurse, all will be cared for. Even the Good Samaritan might have baked at the service Bridgeport peo- ple give as a matter of course.
 It is thougf1tIess to cry out against organized charity. IL is the only eff ficient kind. Not charity really, but social insurance. mutually supported for mutual help. Might as well com plain because trains run on sched- ule, instead of tust once in while, as find fault because the help that people need when they are fu mis- fortune is certain as the rising of the sun.
 Community Chest is labor saving device. It enables help to be given to those who need it with more speed certainty and efficiency. It is not cold, but warm. That road to Jericho 1riKf,t be called a cold road. in the sense of human heart and loving ser vice. There were so few on it will ;nE to help Community Chest calls in the whole community.
 Individual help Is like a fire ot widely separated coals. The organ ized help is like a great fire In 2 sreat furnace Community Ches ,1iffuses q warmth of brotherhood and democratic Kindness throughout ar entire city.