Rossi, Attila and Vittoria, an Italian Protestant family, the parents both under thirty years of age, and four children comprising two sets of twins, respectively one month and thirteen months of age. A two-year-old child had died immediately after their application for assistance. Mr. Rossi is an intelligent man of refined and delicate appear ance, an architectural draughtsman by training, and un fitted for other than clerical work. He had been employed for over a year with a well-known building firm, which, however, had closed out the architectural branch of its business on account of the strike in the building trades, leaving Mr. Rossi without employment.
When he called at the office he was in a very discouraged frame of mind, declaring that, even when employed at $12 a week, his income was not sufficient to support his family, that he must find a place where he could earn at least $14, and if he could not do this, he would run away and leave his family. The visitor, who berated him soundly for this cowardly attitude, was inclined, on calling at his home, if not to sympathize with it, at least to appreciate more fully his difficulties. Mrs. Rossi had gone out to search for em ployment. The husband, who was at home with the chil dren, said that they were taking turns in the hunt for work, one staying with the children. The one who remained was kept busy every moment with the four babies, getting their milk warm, feeding them, and giving them necessary care. The gas bill was very high, as the gas had to be kept burn ing almost constantly to keep the milk warm for the babies. One of the younger twins was quite ill, and had appar ently a slender hold on life. Rooms and children were, however, immaculately clean.
Mrs. Rossi could do shop work without injuring her health, but was really not strong enough to care for the four children and do the necessary work at home. The plan of hiring a woman to look after the children while the wife worked had been tried, but was not a success. A woman who promised well had been engaged at $3 a week and board, but she left at the end of the week saying that the work was too heavy. Mrs. Rossi's people live on the same floor, but they cannot give any assistance. Her aged father and mother are supported by one son and two daughters, all of whom are at work, and the mother is able only to do the necessary housework in her own rooms. They are giving Mr. and Mrs. Rossi meals, but cannot con tinue to do this.
Mr. Rossi does not wish charity, but the only solution
that appears to him possible is to place the four children in some home or institution, so that both he and his wife can work and earn the money to live on, and to pay for their children's board.
Prior to this application the family had twice been referred for assistance by a sympathetic clergyman, but on each occasion Mr. Rossi had been found to be at work, and earning. about $12 a week, and with only one set of twins in the family, this had been considered an income on which they should be able to live, notwithstanding instal ment-plan debts for furniture and clothing.
Illness enters into the problem presented in the three following cases. A family which has a normal standard of living, will, of course, provide for illness, as well as other contingencies. A question might therefore arise whether illness, any more than old age, may justly be put down as a cause of destitution. It remains true, that when a family is near the margin of self-support, constantly recurring illness contributes the element which appears to justify either public or private relief. In the decision as to whether relief should be from public or private sources, weight may properly be given to any evidence tending to show that, while in position to do so, attempts were made to provide for illness. Much may be said in favor of limiting private charity to those who make reasonable attempts to provide for old age, accident, or illness.
Brady, Frank and Ellen. Mr. Brady applied for assist ance, his wife having but a few days before left the hos pital after confinement, and being now at home and in need of food. Mr. Brady's references being favorable, a pri vate society aided. A month later Mr. Brady had secured work, and nothing was heard of the family for six years, when Mr. Brady again called. He had worked for a dry goods house for five years, had been ill in a hospital for five weeks, and upon his return to work had found his place filled. For three months he received $6 a week from a sick-benefit fund, and then secured temporary work, which, however, ceased soon afterward. Mrs. Brady had for three months been employed four days a week at a private institution, but was now out of employment. Rent was due and they needed food. The references of both Mr. and Mrs. Brady spoke well of them, and at previous addresses they were favorably considered. A pri vate society again aided, and later a church took charge.