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or involves exclusive control in those instances in which one society was organized specifically to supplement the work of the other, or when an older society was reorganized for that purpose. Instances of this kind are found in Baltimore, Washington, D. C.; Indianapolis, Maiden, Mass.; Kansas City, and possibly others. This is further evidence that such a relationship is regarded as ideal.
When cooperation is complete there seems to be a tendency for the two societies to consolidate. This has occurred in at least two cities in which one individual has been made the executive officer of both societies. It is interesting to note that such a consolidation has taken place in Oakland, Cal., although the charter under which the charity-organization society was incorporated prohibits the giving of relief from its own funds.
It has been more difficult, it seems, to establish satisfactory arrangements with those relief societies that have great activity than with those of less energy. This is naturally the result of a dislike on the part of the relief society to place itself in what might appear to be a position of subordination to the charity- organization society. The most striking illustration of this is in New York city, in which both societies are very active. Formerly the charity-organization society was able to get relief for families recommended by it from the relief society without a reinvesti- gation and without losing control of the case. But for the last two or three years the relief society has refused to give relief except when the case has been fully surrendered to it. This has resulted in a good many instances in the organization of other sources of relief which can be controlled by the charity- organization society. The cooperation between the two societies there does not consist in a "division of labor" upon the same families, but in a division of families or cases, somewhat after the manner, it seems, of the division of traffic by competing railroad lines.
This inquiry has been one-sided, as it has been conducted from the standpoint of the charity-organization society only. 1
1 The writer proposes to prosecute the inquiry farther from the standpoint of the relief societies.
