system local "poor-masters" or "overseers of the poor" were
charged with the duty of caring for the destitute of their own
community. ² Poor relief was intended to take care of both the
able-bodied and also those who were unfitted for employment.
Except in periods of business depression, however, a majority
of those seeking assistance up to 1929 were persons with some
mental or physical affliction which prevented them from achiev-
ing complete self-support.

It is true that in a number of states dissatisfaction with con-
ditions prevailing under the poor laws had resulted in the pass-
age of supplementary legislation providing special care (cate-
gorical relief) for certain classes such as the blind, the aged,
and mothers with dependent children. The movement to remove
these classes from the baneful effect of the poor laws had not
made much headway prior to 1929, however, and the basic
relief in all states was still provided under the poor laws.

The governmental relief system that has just been briefly
sketched was supplemented by the activities of various private
charities and generously inclined individuals. Although public
relief was assuming the major burden of destitution in 1929,
private relief agencies and private institutions were still playing
a significant role. These privately controlled agencies were
found throughout the United States, although they were con-
centrated in the large cities and the more highly industrialized
states. Private charities were not as potent a factor in the rural
states, especially those of the South and Southwest. Private
charitable agencies were often affiliated financially through
Community Chest organizations and a degree of co-ordination
was achieved through various councils of social agencies.

Generally speaking, the underlying philosophy which dom-
inated the poor laws was that relief must be made extremely
unattractive if idleness were not to be encouraged. ³ Thus poor

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