The Robesonian., 1917-09-17
r. r. BEASLEY, COMMIS-
SIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Important New Department OF State
Government Inaugurated - seven
Important Functions
September

Raleigh, September IA i
Perhaps the most important depar-
true in North Carolina State govern
ment for ten years past was inaug,,
urated today when the State Board
of Charities and Public Welfare
elected Roland F. Beasley, editor of
the Monroe Journal, to the newly.
created position of commissioner OF
public welfare and made plans for
his new work. -,
Few people have yet realized the
Importance of the action of the last
Legislature in creating this State
Board of CHARITIES and Public Wei
fare to supersede the old State Board
of Charities, giving it powers and
duties which should make it take
rank among the foremost social
service agencies in America. "The
aim," as Mr.. A. w. McAlister, faith
er of the new law, said today, us to
wage against crime, pauperism, etc.,
and other preventable social evils and
misfortunes the same sort of cam
paign which the State Department
of Education has waged against il
iteracy and the State Department oi
I1GdlLu has WdScu ctScllilOC uloSOSC
to accomplish for the social health
of North Carolina just what our ed
ucational and health departments
have heen able to accomplish for the
intellectual and physical health o1
the State"
In fact, the language of the Law
itself, setting forth the purposes ol
the board, is at once so concrete an
of such public importance, as t.
justify reproduction here. Among
the powers and duties" Of the new
boan1, says the law, are:
''To investigate and supervist
through and by it's own members @
- agents or employees the whole sys
tenn of the charitable and penal in
stitutions of the State and to recon
mend such changes and additiona
provisions as it may deem needful fo
their economical and efficient admin
istration.
"To study the subjects of non-em
ployment, poverty, vagrancy, hous
ing conditions, crime, public amuse
ment, care and treatment of prison
ers, divorce and wife desertion, tn
social evil and kindred subjects an
their causes, treatment and preven
ton of any hurtful social condition
''To study and promote the welfar
of the dependent and delinquen
''To inspect and make report O
private orphanages, institutions
and persons receiving or placing chill
dren.
'To issue bulletins and in othe
to iv,farv,, h. ,o,1h1.. \
conditions and the proper treatmen
and remedies for social evils.
ITO recommend to the Legislator
social legislation and the creation O
necessary institutions.
TO encourage employment b
counties of a county superintendent
of public welfare and to co-operat
with the county superintendent G
public welfare in every way poss
ble."
Mr.. Beasley, selected as the exec
utive officer of the boards well know
to the people of North Carolina fo
character, ability, and high ideal
of public service. The fact that thi
Year North Carolina advanced frol
a most backward to one of the mos
advanced positions in legal provi
ion for the care of it's prisoners
due more largely to Mr.. Beasley tha
to any other one man.
The full membership of the boar
with which he will serve is as fo
lows: A. w. McAlister, Greensbor
w. A. Blair, Winston Salem; J. !
McAuley, Mt. Gilead; Carey J. HUI
ter. Raleigh; Mrs. Walter Woodar
Wilson; Mrs. T. W. Lingle, Davi
son; Rev. M. L. Kesler, Thomasvill