Evening star., 1933-05-14
IMPROVED RELIEF
SYSTEM IS SEEN
Distress Declared Forcing
Sound Plan With Larger
U. S. Responsibility.

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Economic distress Is forcing the evo-
luton OF sound system of social relief
work under Government leadership and
larger Government responsibility.
Yet this shifting OF the burden from
private philanthropy to society as a
whole will only increase the usefulness
of private charities in specialized fields.
These conclusions were emphasized
District welfare workers, which closed
yesterday at the United States Cham
ber of Commerce Building, by Linton
B. Swift of the Family Welfare Associa-
ton of America.
Discussing Meeting Human Needs in
the Future" Mr.. Swift told the some
300 delegates Of his hope that in the
earliest possible future most of the hu-
man needs which are now met through
philanthropy will be met through an
adequate distribution among the entire
population of the wealth, income and
opportunities of the Nation.
Place Left For Charity.
Most of the human problems with
which social work struggles" Mr.. Swift
continued ARE related 10 the existing
division Of society into the small num-
ber who have adequate income and op-
portunities, and the greater number
who have not"
Any equalization Of opportunity
through Government leadership, how
ever will still leave a place for private
charity. he said Mr. Swift expressed
the belief that the energies of these
agencies will be transformed into a
vital expression Of minority group in
terest in the usefulness of specific So
cial services which are not the function
OF Government, or which Government
Is not yet ready to undertake"
Mr.. Swift also believes I'VE are grad
ually moving forward toward sounder
program for meeting human needs"
through the following measures:
The performance by Government of
these social services, which are clearly
recognized by majority Of the public
as meeting community needs, particu-
larly those needs arising most clearly
from injusticeS in our social and eco
nomic order.
Government Taking Lead.
"A carrying forward under private
auspices Of specific social services whose
existence continues to depend upon ths
support of interested minority groups "
Mr.. Swift said we are witnessing
what hope is but the beginning of a
courageous and planned attempt to
bring order into our industrial chaos
1t has now become respectable to ques-
tiOn the doctrine Of rugged individual
ism as the basis for an economic Or
der operating solely through individual
competition and incentives for material
gain
The Federal Government is at last
assuming leadership in developing a
better distribution of the Nations in
come and opportunities among the
we yet fully realize the possible future
of President Roosevelt's
for supervised self-regulation
by industry of working hours, minimum
wages, working conditions and produc-
ton. We are moving toward planned
order"
Mr.. Swift said that while few social
workers want completely regimented
society,"" most of them welcome this
new recognition of the social response
bilities of Government"
Public Reaction Forecast.
The speaker pointed out that I'VE
are now witnessing a honeymoon of
public social work expenditures which
will be followed by a public reaction"
to the extent ito which hasty and in
adequate organization of public agen-
cies leads to waste, ineff1ciency and in
adequate methods"
He declared that neither a private
nor public agency should be expected
to assume function affecting the well
fare of thousands unless it is SO or
ance Of continuity and growth in stand
ards of administration. He said a
rapid development in Government So
cial welfare work should not mean
wholesale transfer from private to pub
lie auspices"
Mr.. Swift cited the needs Of ade-
quate family welfare relief to illustrate
his point that "a rounded family well
fare and relief program requires (par-
ticularly in the larger communities
both public and private agencies, each
the other. with cooper
alton and interf1ow of services between
them"
In conclusion. Mr.. Swift said:
I'VE see public agencies. as an instru-
ment of government, assuming and i'm
proving upon these social services which
are accepted as the responsibility of the
majority of the community.
Luncheon Held at Y. w,
"And We see private agencies as
suming the responsibility for developing
those types or phases of social service
which are not the function of the Gov
ernment. or which still require minority
group support"
The conference adjourned after
luncheon meeting at the Central Y W.
c. A. The meeting was joint affair
between the Maryland State Conference
of Social Welfare and the Washington
Council of Social Agencies.
Those who addressed the final lunch
con meeting included w. Frank Persons
of the American Public Welfare Off
Gals Association, presiding; Paul T.
Beisser. president of the Maryland We'll
fare Conference, and c. c. Carstens,
executive director, Child Welfare League
of America.