Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/365

 THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY 353

And here we must not be led astray by the fact that today these measures still demand an immense expenditure of public and private means, and that in the immediate future the question will be rather of an increase than of a diminution of this expenditure. And so far as we strive to enlighten the public mind in this sphere, and to effect improvement, we must always bear in mind that poor-relief and charity must always be content with the most humble position among those measures which are directed against poverty. He who helps the needy to help himself does better than he who supports the poor. The most earnest effort of every true friend of the poor must always be directed toward making poor- relief itself superfluous. 1

EMIL MUNSTERBERG.

BERLIN.

1 A paper read in the Social Science Department of the Congress of Arts and Science, St. Louis, September, 1904.