Evening star., 1955-11-27
BY CASPAR NAMES
Religious News Editor OF The Star

By CASPAR NAMES
Religious News Editor OF The Star
The most dramatic moment in
the recent Churches and Social
Welfare conference came when a
speaker was asked, "Who is the
middle class?"
Somehow, delegates o the Cleve-
land meeting Of Protestant
churches and social work agencies
expected DR.. Ira De A. Reid.
professor Of sociology at Haverford
College. to be stunped.
He strode to the platforms edge.
would all those who consider
themselves members Of the So
called upper class raise their
hands?" he asked.
Not O hand went up.
would all those who consider
themselves members Of the lower
class raise their hands?"
A couple Of hands hesitantly went
up.
The speaker smiled. And every
one in the auditorium, catchink the
point, laughed.
Behind the simple questions and
their graphic answers lay much Of
the churches uncertainty concern
ing social welfare. In the 18th CEN
tury and earlier the task was a
comparatively easy one. The poor
were the people to be helped. Their
problems were clear-cut-a sick
person needed care, an evicted
family wanted shelter, poverty
stricken home required food and
clothing.
Society Has chonged
But in our complex society. social
welfare has gone far beyond these
needs. Society then was q pyramid,
with the underprivileged at the
broad base. Today 1t is barrel
shaped. and the center Is ever
widening. One result is that social
welfare concepts now go far beyond
the needs Of the so-called poor.
Today many items appear under
the social welfare heading that In
earlier days would never have been
included. Care of the aged, housing
and race relations, to mention two,
have become part Of the pattern.
The burgeoning has naturally
zoomed costs far beyond the capac-
ity Of any church body or group of
church bodies to meet.
I'm the past the welfare needs OF,
the nation have been met largely
by church and private philanthropy
but the complexity of modern living
and greatly increasing welfare de-
mands have necessitated the as
sumption by government of the
major share of welfare COSTS" the
conference message said.
Local, State and Federal Govern
ment assumed these costs in 1858 to
the tune of $16 billion.
The rise Of secular and govern
mental activity in this area is COM
paratively recent. an important rea-
son why church groups are uncer-
tain of their role. They recognize
clearly the change, but still believe
the church has a part to play in
specific places.
Churches Responsibility
According to one view, religious
bodies have q responsibility in COM
munity welfare planning by direct
representation Of individual agen-
cies in community councils and by
the representation of the churches
themselves.
Other areas include:
l. When public programs are set
up. the church should examine
closely ''the adequacy Of appropri-
ations, the quality Of leadership
selected for citizen commissions
the competence of judges, and the
professional qualifications of staff"
Q. The church can bring to gov
ernment and secular welfare pro-
grams an emphasis on the need
of individuals" and stop mass aid
projects from losing sight Of the
man, woman or child.
3. The religious agency can do
"the experimental jobs which pi-
cneer new trails in welfare"
4. The sectarian agency can serve
as a yardstick by which public
projects might be measured. A con-
ference report pointed out the
standard set by Christ was far
ahead of the welfare practices of
His day. and the churches today
should have standards beyond those
of our day.
Churches Performance
A brief statistical summary viii
show the churches have tried t., do
their share toward conserving the
Nations health and welfare. In
1853 more than s2.3 billion came
from Protestant sources. approx
mately 5000 million more than pri-
vate secular contributions. !
There were approximately 1000
church agencies and institutions
serving nearly II million persons in
1854. OF those aided, about 35 per
cent were neither Protestant or
Eastern Orthodox.
The 100000 full time personnel
mark was reached last year, with
an additional $4,000 serving part
time. The workers included 1880