Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/192

 176 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

The civil organization which is required to administer relief is the commune. If the person has no legal settlement (domicile de secours) in the commune where he is found dependent, then his department is responsible. If he has no legal settlement in any commune or department, then the state is to give relief. If he is residing away from his own commune, he must be relieved where he happens to be, and the cost is recovered from the administra- tion legally liable. The time required for the acquisition of a new settlement is made five years; and after his sixty-fifth year a citizen cannot lose his former settlement nor acquire a new one. When children, infirm or incurable, reach their majority, they retain the settlement of the department to whose service they have belonged, until they acquire a new settlement. The commune, department, or state which gives relief to an aged, infirm, or incurable dependent who has no settlement when he is aided, has right to be reimbursed for the sums advanced, within a limit of five years. Relatives who have means may be required to pay for relief advanced. 8 This recourse 'is limited to five years.

The conseil general in each department is required to organize the service of relief provided for in the law. If the conseil general, refuses or neglects to perform this duty, then a decree in the form of public administration provides an organization. The central government is given full power to see that local avarice or ineffi- ciency does not defeat the purpose of the law of the land.

TITLE II. ADMISSION TO RELIEF

The basis of procedure is the official list of the aged, infirm, and incurable dependents in the commune. The bureau of assist- ance, one month before the first ordinary session of the conseil municipal, makes a list of all persons entitled to relief under the law; it also proposes the method of relief suitable in each case, and, if this method is to be relief at home, the monthly allowance is to be stated. The list shows whether the person has a legal settlement in the commune or elsewhere. One copy of this list is sent to the municipal council, another copy to the prefect. The list must be revised from time to time, so that improper pensioners

'Code civil, Arts. 205, 206, 207, 212.