140 EMIL MUNSTERBERG 



use the most recent devices in this field, while other regions 

 cling to the ancient methods. 



Literary activity, in the restricted sense, is in America 

 full of life. The writings and reports upon poor rehef and 

 charity extend to the neighboring fields of social philanthropy 

 and to prison matters; a fact which is not entirely due to their 

 inner relations, but goes with a situation in which the adminis- 

 tration of prisons devolves upon related authorities. Thus 

 Henderson, in his recent work, treats, in the second part, care 

 of the dependents; in the third part, care of the defective and 

 feeble minded; wMe in the last part he offers an introduction 

 to criminal sociology. Henderson belongs in the ranks of 

 those best acquainted with American poor relief, so that his 

 book gives rehable instruction in respect to the prevalent prin- 

 ciples of American efforts to help the dependent. The method 

 of presentation is somewhat different from that of German 

 works, not altogether so profound and systematic, but more 

 pervaded by a practical purpose, with a decided intention not 

 only to instruct, but also to inspire and to win practical helpers 

 for the work. 



A work laid out on a generous plan is entitled American 

 Philanthropy of the Nineteenth Century, which was begun in 

 the Charities Review of May, 1900, and which presents the 

 views of specialists in the different branches of poor relief. 

 The first article treats the general assumptions of social care 

 of the poor. It explains the causes of poverty and the efforts 

 made in America to deal with it. Here it is interesting to 

 notice how the efforts to reheve distress are fundamentally the 

 same in all lands, and how the same causes lead to the same 

 observations and the same methods of help. As causes of 

 dependence the author emphasizes ignorance, idleness, in- 

 temperance, shiftlessness, premature marriages, gambling, 

 borrowing of pawnbrokers, and, finally, the countless benevo- 

 lent agencies. An evil which we encounter in Germany is 

 noticed by this writer — the increasing ease with which heads 

 of families in great cities desert those dependent on them for 

 support. He adds that it is surprising how often the deserted 

 wife and mother manages to provide better for her family 

 when she has no longer the man's weight on her neck. In the 



