Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-24
LONDON TO HAVE
SOCIAL COUNCIL
CHARITY HEADS IND0RSE LORD
MAYORS PLAN
OBJECT is RECONSTRUCTION OF
SOClETY'S ETHICS
Provisional Committee Is Appointed to
Complete Details of Organization.
Wide Patronage by PhiIan-
thropists Assures Success

LONDON, April 23.--London, like
other great cities, now possesses a
council of social welfare. At a crowd
ed and representative meeting in the
Mansion house, q resolution support
ing the formation of n provisional
council and a large provisional COM
mittee to complete the details of the
organization was appointed. The or
iginal proposal, contained In q letter
from the lord mayor and the chair
man of the county council, has thus
been indorsed by an open meeting of
the representatives of charitable socie-
ties and institutions. A fair and prom
ising start has thus been made in a
most difficult and delicate enterprise
If the patronage of the leaders of
philanthropy can insure success the
battle Is already won.
1t is q striking testimony to the
growth of n desire for close and cor
dial cooperation between all sorts and
conditions of social workers that the
resolutions were supported by the lead
ing representatives of the chief relig-
ious communions in England.
Lauded by Church
The archbishop of Canterbury and
the archbishop Of Westminster, Rev.
]. Scott Lidgett and the chief rabbi
Joined In personal commendation OF
a scheme put forward by the official
heads of the county council and the
corporation of the city of London.
Their eulogy was indorsed by the Hon.
Herbert Samuel, who has only recently
left the home office.
The speakers thus represented the
three geat forces which are working
to better the condition Of the people.
Their appearance on the same plat
form typifies and foreshadows the
work of the council they have united
to establish. If the only business of
this great meeting had been to pass
academic resolutions in favor or CO.
operation between the agencies rep
resented Il would have justified its
convocation The conception of the
state and municipal authority as fell
low workers with voluntary and relig-
ious agencies is of vital Importance to
the future of the nation
Too dogmatic an indivldualism has
produced in the sphere Of social work
a chaos of conflicting agencies whose
work is ineffective because 1t is ami
mated by no clear ideal and controlled
by no common purpose. The poor law
commission by its minute and exhaust
i've investigation brought Into vivid
relief this fatal absence of co-opera-
tion.
approval 10 FpoOideC
The Mansion house meeting sets the
seal of final official approval on newer
conception of philanthropy. The era
OF co-operatlon is opened. If the prac-
tical results follow slowly, and for
many years each separate society and
each administrative department con-
tinues to work in isolation, yet the
ideal has been started. Finally 1t must
prevail
But the meeting was not a mere dis
play It was intended as the starting
point for a great and effective prac-
tical work The council it appointed
will Immediately begin to develop the
details of schemes to bring into actual
working agreement every agency in
London The task will not be finished
until in each of the separate districts,
which In population If not in prestige
equal the largest of the provincial
cities, a council is established whose
every worker. paid or unpaid official or
non official can meet to map out their
united crusade. 1t is unfortunately the
bitter truth that a great deal of the
energy of philanthropic workers is at
present spent in criticising each others
work often on the basis of prejudice
reinforced by ignorance. Theories bulk
big in books; they count for extraordi-
narily little when men are face to face
with practical problems. The disciples
of the different sects come to a meeting
prepared for battle. They soon dis
cover that the opponents are really
allies Cooperation between charities
is largely a matter of personal friend
ship, and the surest bond of friendship
is common work. Therefore, If this
social council is to carry into practice
it's high sounding program, its organ
izers must at once begin by bringing
together i'm each district and each
group of activities the workers them
selves.