This chart book summarizes two volumes in the subcommittee's series, "Studies in Public Welfare." Paper No. 4 (Dec. 22, 1972) explored work incentive and disincentive features in existing and proposed public welfare programs (cash welfare, unemployment insurance, social security, veterans' benefits, food stamps, public housing, and medicaid). Paper No. 13 (Feb. 18, 1974) reviewed research about the work responses of beneficiaries to income support from the Government. In fiscal 1975 the Federal Government is expected to spend about $130 billion on "income security" of Americans, more than double the comparable sum in 1969. Almost four-fifths of these funds pay retirement checks and other social insurance benefits; the rest finances cash welfare, food, housing, and health benefits for the needy. The primary purpose of income maintenance programs is to improve the living standards of low-income persons and families. But this is a complex and dynamic matter. This chart book explores how public welfare benefits can affect fairness and work incentives, reviews available evidence on whether benefits do in fact affect recipients' work efforts, and considers the trade offs in designing programs to strike a balance between reasonable costs and case loads, work incentives, and fair treatment. This book documents the necessity to make choices among competing goals valued by society. (Author/JM)