THE WELFARE STATE

by Herbert L.Marx, Jr. '43. The H. W. Wilson Company,1950, 212 pages. $1.75.

This is the second of the Reference Shelf series to be edited by Herbert L. Marx Jr., Associate Editor of Scholastic Magazines. The first, American Labor Unions, was reviewed in the July 1950 issue of this magazine. Each volume of the Reference Shelf, which is devoted to current topics of controversy and discussion, offers background articles about a debatable subject plus the best of pro and con arguments on it culled from curr ent writings. The result is an impartial compilation of information and opinion arranged in compact and convenient form for the reader.

The preface of this collection of speeches and articles concerning the welfare state introduces the underlying theme as a question, "How much shall government do for its citizens, and how much shall individuals do for themselves?" This element of questioning continues throughout the orderly presentation of the several aspects of the topic, "The Framework of the Problem," "Merits of the Welfare State," "Dangers of the Welfare State," and "The Welfare State Abroad." The reader must form his own opinion from the variety of views but one thing is evident; that, though the expression "welfare state" is a term of rather recent popularity—and also signifies a dozen things to a dozen different people—the philosophy of it has been a long time growing. It is in the last section, "Ways Ahead—A Variety of Views," that the reader gets the sort of solid materal whch will aid him in drawing his own conclusions. The final selection ("Three Ways to Live Under the Welfare State") of this last group of articles is taken from an address by Sir Alexander Gray, which—even in the small part given here—is both cogent and witty. More than that, it does, as Mr. Marx notes, offer the reader an effective summing up which ".... raises the hurly-burly and heat of the welfare state controversy to the level of philosophy." For those who want more source material and documentation there is included the standard equipment of the Reference Shelf series, the bibliography—in this case nine pages of periodical articles, books, adresses and assorted references.