Substitution of Business Methods for "Politics" in Public Enforcement of Law. Police, Possibility of Preventive Work by; Functions should Regulation of the Liquor Traffic. Regulation of Dance Halls, Theatres; Regulation of Attendance of Regulation of Sale of Cocaine. Regulation of Sale of Obscene Pictures. As to Defectives. The Blind-Care of the New-born to Prevent Infant Ophthalmia. The Crippled and Deformed-Orthopedic Hospitals and Clinics; Preventive Private Charity. Charity Organization Society or Bureau of Associated Charities, Visiting Nurse Association-Sanitary League. Committee for Distribution of Modified Milk and for the Instruc- Societies for the Improvement of Social Conditions-Settlements, The Charities Endorsement Committee GROVER CLEVELAND, in an address delivered before the National Conference of Charities and Correction in Philadelphia in 1906, made this statement: "I have sometimes wondered if those active in charitable work fully appreciate how extensively, under the guise of charity, schemes are put on foot that are either so illegitimately related to charitable affairs or so unimportant and impractical, as to abundantly excuse a denial of their appeal for aid; and I often feel that it is not realized as it should be in charitable circles that these schemes are presented so constantly and with such importunity, and so often prove to be unworthy, disappointing, and faddish, as to perplex and discourage those willing to give to genuine and sensibly organized charity. In no case should those which only represent fads and whims and distorted ideas of benevolence be allowed to crowd out of place those that are beyond doubt meritorious and are organized on a broad, practical, and effective basis." The proposal to form a Committee to examine into the claims of the many charities soliciting contributions from the Newark public and to attempt to separate the worthy from the unworthy was brought to the attention of the Newark Board of Trade in December, 1905, by the Bureau of Associated Charities. The Society pointed out the growing abuse in the direction of soliciting contributions for fraudulent, irresponsible, or needless charities and stated that hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars were wasted each year in Newark in the indiscriminate help of such organizations. The co-operation of the Board of Trade was asked in devising some means to check the evil. As a result the Board of Trade appointed a Committee which began its work in December, 1906. With a small Committee from the Newark Bureau of Associated Charities and two representatives of the charities-at-large selected by the Newark Conference of Charities and Correction, it organized the CHARITIES ENDORSEMENT COMMITTEE OF NEWARK. The objects of the Committee are as follows: To eliminate fraudulent and inefficient charities by making their financial support impossible. To formulate in each department of charity a standard of efficiency. Through its investigations to obtain a knowledge of the charitable needs of the city that will enable it to guide contributors in making their contributions and to systematize charitable support. It is the general object of the Committee to prevent the waste of the individual business man's time and to direct his contributions to worthy charities. The objects of the Committee are accomplished by asking each year from each charitable organization in the city a report of its work including a statement, properly audited, of its receipts and expenditures. If these reports are satisfactory the Committee then gives the charity a card of endorsement for the current year. A list of these endorsed charities is then printed and sent to members of the Board of Trade and to business houses. The Committee made it a point at the beginning of its work to gain the good-will and co-operation of the old well established charities of the city, explaining its purpose fully to them and delaying the publication of any list until practically all of them had been won over. The conditions of endorsement laid down by the Committee are as follows: (1) The Charity must have a Board of Managers composed of local people in actual control of the society. (2) It must submit to the Committee an annual report including a properly audited account of moneys received and expended. (3) It must be carrying on a work whose value is commensurate with the amount of money expended. (4) Methods of raising money: (a) The Endorsement Committee is opposed to the raising To these four conditions of endorsement the Committee has added a further article looking to the future extension of its work. (5) It is the purpose of the Committee to make inquiries in this and other cities and to file information as to the recognized standards of efficiency in each line of charitable work-Bureaus of Associated Charities, Children's Aid Societies, Relief Societies, Children's Institutions, Industrial Lodging Houses for Homeless Men, etc. A standard of efficiency in each department will ultimately be adopted by the Committee and made a condition of its endorsement. The Committee has completed four years' work. of endorsed charities on its list is now fifty-one. charities is appended. The total number The list of these The Committee during the current year has taken a further step in the direction of systematizing the keeping of accounts by the various charities. It has secured from a firm of reputable accountants a rate for auditing accounts, acquainting the different charities with this fact, and urging them to take advantage of it. The Committee is hopeful of persuading the charities to resort to this method of showing the public that the funds used by them are handled in a businesslike way. List of Endorsed Charities (The legal title is given in quotation marks in each case where the Organization is incorporated) I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. II. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. "The Babies' Hospital of the City of Newark, N. J.," High and Bank Sts. "The Baptist Home Society of New Jersey," 285 Roseville Ave. "Newark Beth Israel Hospital of the City of Newark, N. J.," "The Bethany Home Society for the Aged," Irvington. "Bureau of Associated Charities, Newark, N. J.," 13 Central "Catholic Children's Aid Association of New Jersey," 13 Central Ave. "The Children's Aid and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children," 249 Mulberry St. "Children's Bureau of Newark, N. J.," 13 Central Ave. (Not active.) "Christian Refuge of Newark," 107 Mechanic St. "The Consumers' League of New Jersey," 163 Grand St., Jersey City. "The Crazy Jane Society," 305 Halsey St. "Daughters of Israel Home for the Aged," 54-60 Stirling St. "East Side Day Nursery," 71 Merchant St. "Eighth Avenue Baby Shelter and Day Nursery of Newark, "Essex County Christian Endeavor Union," Fresh Air Depart- |