Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-17
LEONARD MeMASTER
On ELIMINATING the "Bum'' In Charity

On Eliminating the "6um' IN Charity
6NHE unworthy recipient OF charity has
l. always presented one of the most vcxa-
tious and embarrassing problems IN admin
istration. says Leonard McMaster, manager
of the Seamen's Institute.
"One of the most important considcra'
tians in this work Of wedding out the un-
worthy" said Mr.. McAlastcr. lis the fact
that we must be absolutely certain that no
mistake is being made and, therefore. thal
the ends Of an institution such as ours are
not being defeated. Such course would
be fatal and. therefore. every precaution
against this contingency Is taken: Every
institution doing humanitarian work has It's
own quota of 'hums as they are generally
termed and each must solve the problem
in its own way.
Like all similar organizations engaged
in this work, we have n large number or
men who come here for meals and shelter,
and it is not always easy to make the right
distinction between them. We have been
successful in wedding out good many or
huma nitarian institutions. but some OF them
are SO slick that 1t is very dimcult to
eliminate them.
Not Many Buns" Apply
1T is only very small percentage Of
those who apply for assistance at the vari-
GUS charitable institutions who are nn
worthy Of help. 1t is n menace the size OF
which has been considerably over estimated
in the mind Of the public. but in fairness
to all concerned, the, supporter the insti-
tuition and the worthy recipients Of aid.
every effort should be made to weed out
what unworthy ones there are.
'In our own case. most OF the men who
amply TO us are the victims OF unusually
hard conditions because Of the prostration
Of the shipping industry since the close OF
we have not been able to obtain berths for
more than fifty or sixty men, and we have
had a couple Of hundred sleeping here every
night all winter.
when the shipping business IS not good
the seaman Is IN hard luck. AT the best
his work is hard and long. The hours are
long, the pay is not very high and usually
the environment Is not of the hest char
acter. The American merchant marine has
good living quarters for It's men. but some
Of the ships under foreign flags are pretty
bad In this respect.
Few Americans Apply
II think that our experience has been
that Of virtually every organization con
Quoted on the same general lines as ours
with regard to the applicants. Very iew
of them are Americans. and by far the
largest number of those who ask help are
Of foreign birth. The American in every
walk of life will usually find something to
do when his regular EN- ployment is cut Off
ferent. The average one does not readily
adapt himself to American conditions and
methods, and when hard luck overtakes
him he knows of no way to meet 1t except
to apply for help to some Of our humani :
tartan organizations.
For this reason, as we'll as the fact that
the man born with American ideals will not
take advantage Of those who are really try
ing to assist the unfortunate, most of the
unworthy applicants are those of birth other
than American. When person is sus.
nected he Is rigdly followed UP until we feel
nositiyely certain that he Is attempting IN
take advantage Of the opportunities which
are given to him, and after this is concm :.
siyely proved we simply refuse any further
assistance--no punitive methods are ever
undertaken.
Recently ] had places for two men at a
point In New Jersey and they expressed their
willingness to 60 there. Neither of them
had any money, so their fare was adyan need
TO them. They started for the station a
little late and both missed the train. Ono
OF them came back and returned the monev
but We never heard from the other one or
from the money either.
Most Men Are Honest
"Dut we find that most of the mon who
nsk for aid are honest. We have frenucntiv
advanced money to men who were coin i,
away on cruises lasting four, five or sir
months, only to have them return the monev
to us at the end OF that time.
1.-THE honest men know the buns and
'5}hey let them severely alone. This Is one