PUBLIC WELFARE 183 economists, political scientists, sociologists, psy- of war chests and have done much to integrate war relief and regular welfare activities A third development worthy of discussion here COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION is the growth in community planning. Two pri nary causative factors in this development are the The professionalization of community organiza- OCD with its stimulation of physical and social tion, like group work, is a development of the last protective resources and the multiplication of one or two decades. Although social workers have services with the attendant overlapping of costs always been active in community organization carrying on many of the processes as incidents of and personnel. The block plan of the OCD suc- cessful in relatively few communities, projected the other functions, only recently has there been any idea of neighborhood organization for agreement on a definition and any considerable communit amount of analysis of problems and techniques. war activities. The emphasis of the OCd on community and state councils and on the block There is now fairly general agreement on the nature plan focused attention on planning. The im controversy about acceptable techniques Fede anence of the organizational aspects of this Federal agency are probably due(1)to the fact Wayne Macmillan in a recent Social Service Re- that they were federally stimulated and many view article, gives a good definition of community feared that"Government"would intrude on their organization. "The primary objective of the community organization process is to help people personal lives, and(2)that the impact of the war to find ways to give expression to(their)inherent never reached large sections of the country Functional councils, councils of social agencies desires to improve the environment in which they civic planning groups, have been outgrowths of and their fellows must carry on their lives. The war interests and many of them will continue into community organization process involves relation ships between and among groups through two basic The most important public planning organiza processes, first to evoke and cultivate the inherent tion was the National Resources Planning Board desire of people to work together for community Congress was sufficiently suspicious of it to deny it the process by supplying the technical services workers know the reports of the board best through required. This then is the first major development the monumental volume, Security, Work and Relief in community organization, the acceptance of policies. It was the function of the board through definition, analysis of practice and theory, and the realization that many of the methods used are a staff of experts to obtain data on many physical common to all social work and social problems and to suggest recommenda A second major development in community tions for meeting them. It was not the function of the board to blueprint rigid plans to be inflicted organization is the rapid expansion in number of upon the people of this country as some people war chests. Sometimes this has meant an en- feared. It is to be hoped that a similar body will largement of the existing peace-time chest to in- be revived in the postwar period A fourth imp ea o mentary agency for war relief purposes. The community organization has already been referred President's War Relief Control Board, created by to, namely the activity of labor which is calling for xecutive order in July 1942, with its predecessors, more aggressive action from social workers, is smal esponsible for eliminating a large number ot seeking and obtaining representation on public and ll or unreliable foreign relief organizations attempting to raise funds in local communities, private welfare boards, and is drawing social work The National war Fund, a private corporation workers and labor are working for identical goals organized in the winter of 1942-43, is the agency of better standards of living and security for the which counsels with local communities on their bulk of the American people, social workers and war relief campaign hese two organizations, labor must coordi dinate their efforts. This the Federal agency giving its stamp of approval eloquently urged at a recent institute of Wisconsin to certain war relief agencies and the national County Public Welfare Administrators by Pro private agency stimulating local war relief cam- fessor Selig Perlman, a student of labor movements aigns are, in part, responsible for the great growth for thirty-five years. In his talk on the socialPUBLIC WELFARE 183 economists, political scientists, sociologists, psy￾chologists. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION The professionalization of community organiza￾tion, like group work, is a development of the last one or two decades. Although social workers have always been active in community organization, carrying on many of the processes as incidents of other functions, only recently has there been any agreement on a definition and any considerable amount of analysis of problems and techniques. There is now fairly general agreement on the nature and function of community organization, but still controversy about acceptable techniques. Wayne Macmillan in a recent Social Service Re￾view article, gives a good definition of community organization. "The primary objective of the community organization process is to help people to find ways to give expression to (their) inherent desires to improve the environment in which they and their fellows must carry on their lives." The community organization process involves relation￾ships between and among groups through two basic processes, first to evoke and cultivate the inherent desire of people to work together for community welfare, and second to assist in the development of the process by supplying the technical services required. This then is the first major development in community organization, the acceptance of definition, analysis of practice and theory, and the realization that many of the methods used are common to all social work. A second major development in community organization is the rapid expansion in number of war chests. Sometimes this has meant an en￾largement of the existing peace-time chest to in￾clude war agencies, sometimes a new and supple￾mentary agency for war relief purposes. The President's War Relief Control Board, created by executive order in July 1942, with its predecessors, was responsible for eliminating a large number of small or unreliable foreign relief organizations attempting to raise funds in local communities. The National War Fund, a private corporation organized in the winter of 1942-43, is the agency which counsels with local communities on their war relief campaigns. These two organizations, the Federal agency giving its stamp of approval to certain war relief agencies and the national private agency stimulating local war relief cam￾paigns are, in part, responsible for the great growth of war chests and have done much to integrate war relief and regular welfare activities. A third development worthy of discussion here is the growth in community planning. Two pri￾mary causative factors in this development are the OCD with its stimulation of physical and social protective resources and the multiplication of services with the attendant overlapping of costs and personnel. The block plan of the OCD suc￾cessful in relatively few communities, projected the idea of neighborhood organization for community war activities. The emphasis of the OCD on community and state councils and on the block plan focused attention on planning. The im￾permanence of the organizational aspects of this Federal agency are probably due (1) to the fact that they were federally stimulated and many feared that "Government" would intrude on their personal lives, and (2) that the impact of the war never reached large sections of the country. Functional councils, councils of social agencies, civic planning groups, have been outgrowths of war interests and many of them will continue into the peace-time period. The most important public planning organiza￾tion was the National Resources Planning Board. Congress was sufficiently suspicious of it to deny it appropriations and thus to abolish it. Social workers know the reports of the Board best through the monumental volume, Security, Work and Relief Policies. It was the function of the board through a staff of experts to obtain data on many physical and social problems and to suggest recommenda￾tions for meeting them. It was not the function of the board to blueprint rigid plans to be inflicted upon the people of this country as some people feared. It is to be hoped that a similar body will be revived in the postwar period. A fourth important phenomenon in the area of community organization has already been referred to, namely the activity of labor which is calling for more aggressive action from social workers, is seeking and obtaining representation on public and private welfare boards, and is drawing social work skills into its own organizations. Since social workers and labor are working for identical goals of better standards of living and security for the bulk of the American people, social workers and labor must coordinate their efforts. This was eloquently urged at a recent institute of Wisconsin County Public Welfare Administrators by Pro￾fessor Selig Perlman, a student of labor movements for thirty-five years. In his talk on the social