Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-08
KENNETH L. NJ. PRAY
On Respo onslbliItles Of cltIxenshlp

THE real responsibility of the citizen does
l. not end when he has voted for competent
men to enact the laws, according to Ken
meth L. NJ. Pray, executive director of the
Public Charities Association of Pennsyl-
vania. The citizen must take far deeper
interest in the affairs Of the city, State
and Nation than this If he wants to have
the best government.
The citizen cannot wash his hands OF
Commonwealth, said Mr.. Pray, "when he
has merely elected the men who shall rep
resent him at Harrisburg. The citizen is,
In the end, responsible for the policy Of
the Government, and his representatives
cannot act efficiently and for the best inter-
ests of all unless the citizen himself has full
understanding of the nature Of the legisla-
tive job to be done and will cooperate in
1t wherever that is necessary.
I'm all work Of this kind, much depends
upon the development Of sympathetic
opinion on the part Of the public, without
which enforcement Of any law is impossible,
as we'll as careful scrutinizing of what
has and is being done, In order to effect
sound policy. 1t has been we'll said that
but cannot absolve themselves from respon-
sibility.
Onicials Anxious to DO Well
''This Is true of every branch of govern
mental activity, but is. especially true Of
welfare work, whether Of community or Of
a State, MS this is a field in which the in
terest and the cooperation of the citizen
are absolutely necessary for the development
of n sound policy. That kind Of public CO.
but it is also an antidote to the formal SIN,
routine and rigidity of governmental admin
istration.
''The average public official Is just as
anxious to do fine job in creating and
administering the laws rs the average citi-
zen is to have 1t done. But the difficulty
lies in the fact that he cannot 20 faster or
do more than the average opinion of the
man in the street wants done. Therefore,
the officials of any intelligent administra ton
with the public welfare Mt heart welcome
the type of public understanding which will
give them constructive assistance.
''The officials themselves cannot move
lions, because they are limited by the law,
which in itself is creation OF the aver.
age opinion of community. Official
propaganda Is somewhat under suspicion In
these days, and, therefore, the only resource
Of the alert official is to have the CO operation
of that large and growing proportion of the
citizens who are anxious to bring the aver
age opinion of their community abreast Of
the best opinion Of the times.
uoW Iuo Law HuSaHCc0
This, in turn, leads to the gradual ad =
vancement of the law, and with this ad- =
vancemcnt the public administrator can
constantly do more and better work. Thus,
the representatives of community repre-
sent rather accurately the trend Of senti-
ment In that place.
'"The legislator is always pressed by de-
mands for funds for all types of enter
prises. lie has only 80 much at his dis
posal and he is, therefore, bound by all
the dictates Of good common sense, good
public policy and good morals, to put that
money where it will yield the greatest return
and, at the same time, to use 1t in ways
which will have the general public ap.
proval. This is one Of his most difficult
problems, and, If he desires to solve 1t to the
best of his ability he will be, In a large
measure, guided by public opinion. When
such opinion Is intelligent and clearly ex-
pressed, the legislator finds 1t of the utmost
value.
Unless the public has real appreciation
and understanding of the necessity for the
expenditure of large sums Of money In cer-
tain important fields of welfare work, the
Legislature has no right to appropriate such
amounts for this purpose.
Making the Public Understand
"One Of the biggest tasks Of our own as.
ISOLATION mas Deen to awaken the people of
| the State OF Pennsylvania to a fuller reali.
xation OF the necessity of making better
| provision for the care Of the feeble minded,
| In order that the Legislature may be justifi ed
In making larger appropriations for this