The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-02
ields where outside support is neces.

fields where outside support is neces-
The foreign urveys are In charge
of Ralph A. Ward, perhaps better
known in China than he is in New
York. The home, or American sur
veys. are directed by r. f. Dtffen-
dorfer. who has done notable work
of the same character for the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. Fred r. Hag-
gard. Baptist leader. is In general
charge of the organization OF the
surveys, The Canadian V will
be made separately.
The home surveys are divided
roughly into rural and city. The ru-
raj surveys have progressed further
than most other lines of investigation.
For the purpose of the surveys, the
United states has been divided into
ten regions. with a division h%eadquar-
ters for each. Every state has a state
surve council consisting of a clergy
man and a layman from each denonli-
nation In the state, representatives, OF
the state commissioners Of agricul
ture and education. the state historian
or archive keeper, and all other or
ganizations interested in similar lines
of work.
Under the state councils are county
councils. A state council has about
t~wenty-onc members and a county
council from two to four.
Tho only state in which the rurai
counties have ever been surveyed in
anything like the intensive manner
of the present work Is Ohio. The in
terchurch movement will do for the
5000 rural counties Of the United
States what other bodies have done
for the 80 rural counties of Ohio.
For every county there will be
drawn a map showing the last church
school, railroad. road. grange. club
isolated farm house or other Object
of a social nature. Around such
church or similar institution will be
plotted the range of its influence
The areas not touched by any Chris
tian influence will thus be shown
and the sections "overchurched" oil
thrown into relief,
Edmund de S. Bruner. a widely.
known writer on rural topics. who /.
identified with the M%oravian church
and Hermann N. Morse. Of the Pres
hyterian board Of home missions, will
direct the rural survey.
The information about churches I:
only one side of the data which will
be collected. On the facts found
schemes for correcting defects will he
devised. This will be done by loca'
men and as will the collection
of information. 1t is the set policy
of the Interchurch Movement thai
there shall be no interference or ever
unwelconc advice from outsiders. The
national sexperts will come in to heir
as they are invited It is believed
however, the will show the
facts in such a striking n thai
the renledy will he obvious and will
he eagerly accepted by all involved
From the local programs. the state
councils will draw up state programs
AMI these will be combined into a ma
tional program. The latter will take
its place with the world program. the
first Joint plan OF Christian effort.
In addition to the regular rura'
and city rye there will be spe-
cial studies Of the recent immigrants
the negroes. sparsely settled districts
mountain peoples OF the South.
Chinese and Japanese colonies. the
Mormons and many other sides OF
American life.
There will also be a careful inquiry
into Industrial conditions to determine
what should be the general Christian
attitude toward the perplexing prob.
lens OF today. A commission OF
three church labor experts recently
left Europe to study Bolshevism al
first hand. and clear up any uncer
tainty there may be in the minds OF
church leaders as to labor conditions
abroad. 1t is recognized that this Ii
one of the most dificult subjects The
Interchurch Movement is dealing
with n great care will be taken tt
make the results thoroughly trust
worthy.