This book contains seven papers prepared for a 1975 conference which addressed the progress and setbacks experienced during the first decade of the War on Poverty. Included with each paper are two commentaries by conference discussants. The seven papers deal with issues such as the origins of the War on Poverty, its education, health, and income-maintenance programs, and its community action, legal services, and antidiscrimination policies. Some papers point out that the War on Poverty was successful. For example, it is noted that medicare and medicaid led to increases in the access of poor people to medical care services. The Community Action Program's success with increasing the political participation of blacks is yet another example of success. Also successful was the Legal Services Program. In contrast, evidence is presented that indicates that the education and training programs of the War on Poverty were not successful. Other papers, indicate that the success of the War on Poverty is inconclusive. It is noted that the new income-maintenance programs and changes in old ones did reduce the poverty gap between 1965 and 1972 substantially, but that the policies adopted were inefficient, and in some ways inequitable as well. The poverty programs discussed are not evaluated in the same way by all the authors. Similarly, there is disagreement as to why the War on Poverty originated. Finally, an overview essay which introduces the book, cites statistical evidence that substantial progress toward reducing poverty was made during the decade. As a result of this, it is speculated that the United States will shift its attention from combating poverty to the more general issue of reducing income inequality. (Author/AM)