I every community the church either can or should throw the whole weight of its zed influence back of every intelligent attempt to solve the social problems of ommunity. It is not the function of outsiders to step in and attempt to stimulate urch to do what they conceive to be its duty but it is the privilege of those within .ch somewhat of the inspiration of the world's greatest exemplar of social service o transmute that inspiration into action. Both example and inspiration are there rfected form but somehow or in some way liaison has apparently been partially lost. re-establishment of vital relationship between the source of power in the church he membership of the church will coincide with a renewed dedication of individuals cial usefulness.

The great need today is for a correlation of our social resources and their concentraunder intelligent direction toward a definite end of unquestioned social value. The es are existent in every city but in far too many places they are being neither recogd nor utilized. The first requisite is to recognize their existence, then follow gnition by utilization.

A community may be rich in latent or potential social forces but so long as these es remain latent and potential the community is suffering a daily loss. The disraging fact about such a loss is that it is so wholly unnecessary and discouragement y well give place to dismay in cases where there is a persistent refusal to organize ilable social forces.

If there be such a thing as leadership among those now engaged in social work there world of opportunity for its manifestation. The field is wide open and there are, fortunately it sometimes seems, no restrictions on entrants. But the man who can nbine a recognition of social need with a real knowledge, founded on experience, of : best means of meeting the need and who in addition to such remarkable prescience ¡sesses a modicum of leadership is a noteworthy individual in any community. The three requisites for utilization of existing social forces are leadership, leaderp, and then some more leadership.

SOCIAL FORCES IN A COMMUNITY: PUBLIC AGENCIES Lucius A. Whipple, Superintendent, State Home and School, Providence Because of somewhat limited personal experience in other states, but more or less iliarity with conditions in Rhode Island, I trust that you will pardon me if, in this ussion, I at times refer to the development of policies of administration in this state. iscussing public agencies, one's first thought is the association or comparison with ate agencies. The theory is quite generally accepted that the function of the public cy is simply to carry on those plans and activities which have been pioneer work of ɔrivate agency and in which the methods and results have been found to be desirIt would seem, however, in the working out of this theory that there is some rtunity for question and criticism.

In the first place, should all the pioneer work be done by the private agency, or is ssible? Certain types of public agencies perform work which it is not possible he private agency to do. Certainly public health and education are primarily c tasks, as are probation, the maintenance of prisons and correctional institutions

and the administration of parole. In correctional institutions this is seen in the opportunity given for vocational training, for the development of manhood and womanhood through improved living conditions, in the changed ideas of discipline and general welfare work, and in that most important problem of parole when it is felt that the prisoner has reached a point where he may be safely released in the community under supervision without becoming a menace to society. It is worthy of note that the Penal and Charitable Commission of Rhode Island has been developing standards in its correctional institutions, as is instanced by the radical changes which have been made in the past five years for the comfort and health of the prisoners through improved sanitary conditions, better recreational facilities, greater vocational opportunities and increased parole work. A change in atmosphere is apparent. Further evidence is seen in the form of the proposed women's reformatory with a woman superintendent, and in the men's reformatory now in process of construction. Work such as this is not possible for the private agency. It may not be pioneer work when certain other states are considered, but it surely is in Rhode Island. Certain types of investigation can be carried on much more efficiently by the public agency because it has the power to compel the giving of facts which may be of particular value in the making of surveys, in the study of industrial conditions and other research work, whereas the private agency can gather practically nothing but information given voluntarily and in many instances this information may be decidedly unreliable.

In the second place, while it may eventually be made, the transfer of established work from the private to the public agency is sometimes delayed because the private agency, either because of lack of confidence in the standards and ideals of the public agency or because of lack of initiative in entering new fields, is disinclined to turn over its work to the public agency and consequently continues in a manner which would seem to be marking time. Then, too, there sometimes arises that unfortunate situation when the public and private agencies appear to be working at odds. It takes a strong organization to transfer a flourishing project to another organization, in order to take up a new project which may or may not turn out successfully and upon the success of which the reputation of the agency depends. It is unfortunate that it is sometimes felt that the standards of the public agency must necessarily be lower than those of the private agency. It is entirely possible for the public agency to have decidedly high ideals and standards. I feel that it may safely be said that the personnel of the many public agencies is on a par with the best standards set for the private agencies and that the same may be said of their standards of administration and also of their equipment. In Rhode Island tenure of office is practically as secure as in private agencies and positions do not change with variations of political winds. In the appointment of superintendents and assistants the question of political inclination is not asked, nor does the idea of favoring the native son prevail.

The standards of business administration of the public agnecy should not be overlooked. In this state purchasing done by a central office insures first-class supplies at a minimum cost and public funds are thus expended in a manner second not even to large commercial enterprises. Consequently the institution inmates receive the best possible care for the money expended.

It is somewhat difficult to compare standards of public and private agencies because in many instances, while they may be caring for persons with similar needs, conditions under which they are working may be radically different. For instance, some public

institutions for the care of the mentally diseased have such large populations that their work is not comparable with the small private institution of the same nature. Taken as a whole, the problem of the public agency is the more difficult. It is generally the place of last resort, whereas those somewhat able to help themselves are assisted by the private agency. In the case of the charitable institution for children, those with more desirable characteristics and those of superior heritage are frequently retained for supervision by the private agency. This is also true of those requiring only temporary care and of the more hopeful cases.

In the third place, the theory assumes definite boundaries for the work of the public agency and for the private agency. This is almost impossible, for in any community will be found both types of agency doing similar work. In some states the work of the private agency is the work being done by the public agency in other states and vice Most persons in need of assistance recognize no lines of differentiation, but appeal to that organization which seems to them to be best able to solve their problems or which seems to offer the easiest approach.

versa.

In the fourth place, if it be true that it is the function of the public agency to do only that work which has been definitely established by the private agency, it would appear to take away from the public agency that ambition and initiative necessary for proper growth and efficiency. It assumes a cut and dried performance on the part of the public agency detrimental both to the personnel of its administration and to those unfortunates in its care. The field of legitimate experimentation and exploration should be open to the public as well as the private agency. When the state is the only party which has legal power to determine a course of action or when the particular problem is not being solved by a private agency, the public agency is entirely within its rights in endeavoring to reach a satisfactory solution. It is often said that the lack of funds is the reason for failure of public agencies to function in this direction. Legislatures are often criticized for their penurious attitude toward the public agency. Is it not true that some of this criticism should fall upon the shoulders of the institution administration rather than upon the legislators? Is it not true that in many instances legislators are kept in ignorance of the real needs of the institutions by superintendents, and that an attitude is taken by them approaching antagonism whereby the impression is created that the superintendent feels the legislator a necessary evil and that he has no interest in the institution or its inmates? Is it not true that the business administration of some institutions is inefficient and that one of the reasons why the legislature hesitates to appropriate additional sums is because of lack of confidence that they will be efficiently spent?

I believe the following facts to be true: that there is no reason why the standards of public agencies should not be the equal of the best private agencies; that the public agency can go far if it is accurate in its budget and sees its particular interest in terms of others; that new projects may be successfully carried out without greatly increased cost, in fact it is possible to economize in this way; that pioneer work is not limited to the private agency but should appeal to the public agency as well; that the public agency will not meet opposition if it is filling a public need, if it is proving its efficiency, if it is showing results, if the administration is removing defects for which possibly it is not responsible, if it is building up a feeling of confidence on the part of the legislature by indicating its confidence in the legislature and by presenting its needs and policies frankly, and if it is providing the proper publicity.

In this discussion an attempt has been made to show that the public agency should be and in many instances is, capable of carrying on the work usually considered to belong only in the field of the private agency. There is plenty of work and more for both types whether it be the pioneer work usually associated with the private agency or the steady grind conceded to the public agency. Complete understanding of the work being done, and of methods employed and of plans contemplated is necessary for the satisfactory solution of the common problem, and to avoid duplication of effort. If each type will bend every effort to increase the efficiency of its organization, not only in the direct service to those who come in need of assistance but in the intelligent expenditure either of public funds or funds contributed to private organizations by those who readily recognize real business efficiency, the organization will attain new heights in the esteem and confidence of its supporters which cannot fail to increase its usefulness and broaden its field of activity.

THE FEDERATION-FINANCIAL PROGRAM

BUDGET MAKING IN A FEDERATION

Raymond Clapp, Associate Director, Welfare Federation, Cleveland

What is a budget ?—According to a club member of the Cleveland Public Library, "A budget is a method of worrying before you spend instead of afterward." To put it into technical language, it is a financial program relating to a future fiscal period, and this financial program must be based upon the actual experience of the next preceding fiscal periods.

To borrow a definition from Fitzpatrick, the budget of a social agency is merely the administrative experience of the past and current fiscal periods systematized and organized for presentation to the appropriating body together with recommendations as to expenditures and revenues for the forthcoming fiscal period.

A community fund budget will be a summary of the budgets of the component agencies as reviewed, revised, and agreed upon, together with provision for contingency funds and such non-local purposes as may be included for presentation to the community as the basis of appeal for the funds necessary to support the social service program of which the budget is an estimate of cost.

Why is a budget necessary?—1. A community fund budget is necessary in order to determine the financial goal of the campaign, as the size of that goal will have great bearing upon decisions as to the character and scope of the campaign and the setting of quotas for divisions, teams, and individuals. It is important that the budget be accurate and complete as far in advance of the campaign as practicable. The campaign committee should know the approximate amount of the budget at least six weeks in advance of the opening of the campaign and the detailed budget should be in print two weeks before the campaign for purposes of publicity and instruction of workers.

2. The individual campaign worker should be intelligent not only as to the amount of money necessary to be raised but also as to the purposes for which the money is to be used; the amounts budgeted for the various fields of service such as health, child care, recreation, relief, etc., and the estimated needs of the individual agencies. The budget as placed in the hands of the solicitor should enable him to learn for each

agency its earnings from operation and endowment, as well as the amount budgeted for it from the fund, and particularly the amount and kinds of service rendered by the organization through community fund support.

3. The budget, in detail, with accompanying statements of service rendered should be given wide publicity so that potential contributors and the general public may have ample opportunity to become familiar with the work they are asked to support and the proposed distribution of the funds.

4. A budget agreed upon in advance of the campaign is necessary in order that each participating agency may clearly understand before the money is raised what is to be the basis for that agency's participation in the fund. Nothing is more fruitful of dissatisfaction than raising funds first and then trying to divide them afterward.

5. Even in cases where the community fund is unsuccessful in securing the amount necessary to meet the minimum budgets of the constituent agencies, a carefully studied and well-prepared budget completed in advance of the campaign is the best possible basis for revision downward of expense or for finding other sources of income to meet the situation.

6. A budget prepared and approved in detail in advance of the year's work gives the best possible assurance to the individual agency that it can safely go ahead, on the program outlined, to perform the service provided for in the budget.

7. Such a budget forms an adequate basis for monthly check, both by the agency and the community fund, of actual experience so that deficits may be foreseen in time to be prevented.

How to make a budget.-In order to get the kind of budget which will serve the foregoing purposes there are certain basic principles which must be observed. They might be summarized as follows: first, a budget can be no more nearly accurate than the records of experience upon which it is based; second, a budget increases in value in direct proportion to the detail with which it is prepared; third, the most important of all is the study of the needs of the organization and a wise development of program for the coming fiscal period, because in order to estimate the expense of the year's work you must forecast, to the best of your ability, what the year's work is going to be. To get down to details, the first thing necessary is to systematize and organize the experience of recent years; (a) as to the amount of service actually performed; (b) as to the cost of that service; (c) as to the amount by which the service performed has failed to meet the need; (d) the various sources of income.

Then on the basis of past experience and future plans, take the items of income and expense one by one and estimate the figures for the balance of the current fiscal year (as the budget should be completed in advance of the beginning of the year) and then estimate the figures for the coming year.

All figures should be carefully checked where possible with corroborative information such as statistics indicating the trend of the cost of living, employment conditions, etc. For instance, in estimating the cost of food the budget committee should know the total expense for food each year for a period of two or three years; the number of meals served and the cost per meal. They should estimate the number of meals to be served in the coming year, the trend of the price of food, whether or not donations of food are liable to be greater or less during the coming year, whether there are plans for a change of diet such as the substitution of milk for coffee, or butter for oleomargarine, whether provision of storage facilities would make it possible to purchase goods in quantity at