The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-12-13
INTER.CHURCH WORLD MOVE
MENT PLANS NATION WIDE
SURVEY OF CONDITIONS AMONG
NEGROES.

SURVEY OF CONDITIONS AMONG
NEGROES.
New York, Dec. 1.-THE Inter-
Church World Movement is under
taking study of conditions of the
Negro churches and Negro commune
ties of the United States, both city
and country as a part of its plan
Of a complete survey of the church
and community needs of the entire
nation and of other countries
throughout the world. Church and
community needs will be studied
Already schedules for rural con-
! ditions have been prepared and are
being sent to state representatives
in all the states where Negroes re-
side. These schedules will be used
| by trained and competent Negro
leaders and Investigators who will
visit their own churches and com
munities for gathering the facts The
churches will be studied along the
lines of physical equipment, extent
of the parish, financial resources, the
minister and the relation of the
church to recreational and other ac-
tivities of the community The COM
munity will be studied from the
point of view of land ownership, oc-
equations, community organizations
road and other means of travel, etc.
In addition to the rural survey there
will be special studies of Negro oc-
equations, educational institutions,
and of city life.
The survey will be so organized
that in every state where there is
considerable Negro population
there will be Negro associate sup
ervisor to work with the white sup
ervisor, the associate supervisor car
rying out the plans for the Negro
survey. There will be competent
leaders in every county to visit the
Negro churches and communities
gathering facts.
A most important and unique
feature of this program will be in
ter-racial councils, or committees, as
the policy of this movement is to
have councils of church representa-
| ties which shall be intetr-racial. The
representatives of the Colored
| churches will meet in council with
representatives of the white churches
to talk over and make out plans
for reaching both parts of the COM
munity.
DR.. George +. Haynes of the
United States Department of Labor,
has been called and arrangements
made with him for supervising the
survey among Colored people with
out severing his connection as Di-
rector of Negro Economics for the
Labor Department.
The Inter-Church Movement is q
cooperative organization of Pro-
testant denominations through their
mission boards, home and foreign
agencies and churches for the pur-
pose of effectively meeting the new
demands of the new day. The plans
of the Movement call for careful
study of the conditions and equip
ment of each church and the needs
of each community surrounding each
church. Following such a study. re-
representatives. of the churches will
meet together and make up a prac-
teal program of work based upon
facts which have been found. This
practical program will aim to meet
and community.
But the making of a program is
effective only when the means are
provided for carrying it out. There
fore, the next step will he a plan
to carry out an educational campaign
| through conventions, conferences,
newspaper publicity, ETC., to inform
the people throughout the United
States of the church and community
needs and of the program to meet
them. When the people are thus
fully informed, the cooperating de-
nominations that have been planning
these forward movements will unite
in making an appeal to their con-
stituencies for the money and the
leadership necessary to put the pro-
gram into effective operation to meet
the needs.
This movement will not interfere
in any way with the regular organi-
cation of any church or denomina-
ton. The work from beginning to
end will be done by representatives
of the various denominations. The
regular church and UNCONVENTIONAL
organizations will be used as a
means through which the work will
he done. One Of the most hopeful
features of the Movement is that it
does not aim at federation or union
of denominations nor does it try to
deal with administration of any de-
nomination. 1t is only attempt
ing to carry plans through which
each denomination may cooperate
with all other denominations in meet
ing the religious and life needs of
the people, while at the same time
preserving UNCONVENTIONAL indepen-
dence.