Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/616

 602 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

This is composed of a number of salaried officials forming a division of the general board, whose work supplements, in a variety of ways, that of the honor offices. It is their duty to gather statistics concerning each individual receiving aid, to collect these statistics in books and papers, so that they will be easily accessible to anyone desiring information concerning a particular person. It is also its duty to examine the proceed- ings of the circuits, and to bring to the notice of the general board any faults that may be discovered, etc. The object of all this, however, is not to control or direct the work of the helpers, but to supplement it ; but without this union and supervision and mediatory interposition there would be no decentralization, but the exact opposite ; for the independence of the several circuits would lead to entire arbitrariness, to a dangerous inequality, and the system would be lost. Finally, it may be added that the work of all these offices, the general board, the superintendents, the helpers, and the business management, must be carefully regulated by wise poor laws and by instruc- tions. These must furnish a good, reliable guide to a judicious performance of duty, without curtailing in the least the freedom of decision in a particular case. The value of good directions can never be overestimated. Lack of them and dependence upon the good sense and good will of the various officials may entirely frustrate the accomplishment of the desired results. To draw up proper regulations and directions, without going too much into minute details, and to carefully adapt them to a local environment will always be the most important part of the preparation for a reform of poor relief.

The fact brought out in the first division of this article, viz., that there are certain general fixed laws governing poor relief, which should be applied under all circumstances, is to be con- sidered in the light of what we have just said at the close of the ' preceding division in regard to the adaptation of these laws. Nothing could be more senseless than to attempt to introduce the Elberfeld system, without making material changes in it, into all communes, even into all German com-