70 ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION 



of the American Association for the Study and Pre- 

 vention of Infant Mortality, to personally inspect the 

 infant mortality work in Cleveland ; and, secondly, to 

 the assumption that the story of how in Cleveland an 

 ideal organization in the rough has gradually been 

 developed might act as a precedent and stimulus to 

 other communities, especially to those who at the first 

 glance have no such possibilities, but who, neverthe- 

 less, have them in a latent form. 



For every combat there exists an ideal plan which 

 takes into consideration not only the needs of the 

 present, but also those of the immediate future and 

 distant future as well, and which accomplishes the best 

 result with the least expenditure of time, energy and 

 funds. 



Besides such an ideal plan, however, there is, as we 

 all well and sadly know from experience, the practical 

 plan of the moment, which means a plan that embodies 

 as much of the ideal plan as is practical or politic at 

 the time being. 



Although no big work can be built without an ideal 

 plan, yet the rapidity with which this ideal plan is ful- 

 filled depends more upon the practical plan than upon the 

 ideal plan itself. It is far more easy to make the ideal 

 plan than the practical, for the simple reason that for 

 the building of the former nothing more is necessary 

 than a thorough knowledge of the causes of the condi- 

 tions to be wiped out and the best means to remedy 

 the same, and still better to prevent their occurrence 

 altogether ; whereas for the development of the latter 

 there is necessary, in addition to this thorough know- 

 ledge of the subject, a thorough acquaintance with 

 all of the agencies of a community that might in the 

 course of their routine work or otherwise be helpful 

 and useful in the actual campaign, and also the ability 

 to choose the most opportune time and place to bring 

 about this co-operation. This acquaintance with the 

 various possibly helpful agencies of a community does 



