Evening star., 1939-01-08

It's prime objective Is to strengthen the
state and not to help the needy in
dividual.
Some American visitors have been so
favorably impressed with what they saw
and were told of welfare work in the
Third German Reich that they return
to this country full of praise and urge
the adoption of similar unified system
In the United States.
The Berlin headquarters of the Ma
tional Socialist Welfare Organization
puts on good show. Foreigners are
conducted through an elaborate dis
play Of Illuminated maps, colored charts,
photographs and miniature models of
the organizations many activities and
institutions. Their foreign relations rep
resentative, then Eric Haaseman, ex-
plains the display in crisp English.
1.-The spirit of the work." he says, "is
that you yourself are nothing. The
nation is everything We have $4,000
paid workers and $50 900 part-time vol
unteers. The expenses Of administra-
ton are less than per cent OF the 80O,-
1000 marks which pass through our
Golfers annually. This is made possible
by the large number of volunteers and
the cooperation Of railroads and other
utilities donating services"
Berlin Is Blocked Out.
Herr Haaseman points out q miniature
model of a city block containing 40 fam
lily houses.
There are 447022 of these blocks in
Berlin. Each one has a volunteer
steward. His neighbors bring all requests
for help to him. He visits their homes
and then makes reports and recon-
mendations."
Above the model hangs map of the
rural districts showing how farmers act
ing as stewards sometimes have to travel
miles from their homes.
How can a city workman or a farmer
afford to give 50 much Of his time?"
asked.
It's his spare time and service to the
state. We only require an average of
three hours a day, but many give more"
Later I accompanied one of these
stewards on his calls. Our last visit was
to the home of working mother with
six children. The youngest, new baby,
was in need Of milk and clothing Any
female social worker taking one look at
that mother, her home and children
would have pronounced the case de-
serving one.
Did the steward? No. He thought the
child was sickly and would die. The last
baby in that household had died.
suggested that appeared to be an addi-
tional reason for giving immediate help.
His answer was slogan which he had
been taught: 'The object of the National
Socialist Welfare Organization is to help
the potentially useful members of the
community and not to coddle the weak"
Insurance for the Sick.
Returning to headquarters I asked:
If you care only for the healthy poor,
who cares for the sick?"
"The sick insurance" was the answer
"But if they don't have sick insur-
ance?" persisted.
workers must have It, For nom work.
ers there're denominational institutions
or state funds for special diseases.
And the Jews" asked hesitatingly,
"who cares for them?"
Their own organizations. They're
wealthy"
didn't press the point but investiga-
ton showed that Jewish charities in
every city in Germany were taxed far
beyond their means. They had been
forced from lack of funds to conf1ne their
help to orthodox Jews. Christian Jews
were receiving only what help the
Friends and other Protestant and Cath
olic organizations were able to give them.
Another group Of English and Amer
ican tourists were being led through the
display to diorama built into the wall.
It contained q relief map of Germany
with railroad running through 1t and
wall Of coal built around it. Along the
tracks were stacks Of potatoes and
Christmas trees.
Chart Shows Coal Donations.
This" the guide explained, shows
the 10 000y 900 tons Of coal we distributed
In four years. Enough to build wall
around Germany to height of 10 yards.
We've given the poor 100000 weight
of potatoes and 2,500,O00 Christmas
trees. The railroads carry for us free
Of charge freight amounting to 10000, 900
marks every six months"
The adjoining room was plastered with
enlarged photographs Of farmers in fields
Of cabbage, women working in the can
neries and welfare workers distributing
the finished product to the poor
"Our motto" said the guide, "is to
eat what we can and can what we can't"
Germanys food prices are fixed. When
the farmers have bumper crop of cab
bage and cannot dispose of it in the
open market it is bought by the welfare
organization at the fixed price, canned,
and given to the poor. The same method
is applied to surplus fish which formerly
rotted on the quays.
In cooperation with the Women's
Reich party cooking classes have been
conducted. throughout the country. In
these, German housewives) are taught