Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-04-07
END OF POVERTY
OIL KINGS aim
Chief Purpose Of Rockefeller
Foundation, Says ST.. Murphy.
NOT 1OBE LIMITED IN ITS WORK

hui lube LlEai EU In - WUKk
MuItimiIlionaire Has In Mind Practical
Realization Of Dream of Ages-Wants
to Fit Men to Succeed In Life's Bat
tIe-Desires More Equal Distribution
of Wealth.
What John D. Rockefeller, the oil
magnate, really has in mind as the
purpose of the Rockefeller foundation
is nothing less than a practical realiza-
ton Of the dream Of the ages-the
abolition Of poverty.
Starr ]. Murphy, n Of Mr.. Rookie
feller's chief advisers in methods Of
b%enevolence, recently said to a re.
porter:
"Mr. Rockefeller in his charities
goes to rock bottom. In the general
education board he has provided aid
to established institutions for making
men fit to succeed, education, develop
ment and training Of a mans powers
being the surest way toward making
n able to do something with oneself.
In the Rockefeller Institute For Med
ical Research his purpose is to get
down not merely to remedies for dis
eases, but to eliminate diseases.
Wants an End of Poverty.
His chief desire now is for the more
equal distribution of wealth and the
removal Of po~verty-not, mind you,
the alienation of poverty alone, but
the removal Of poverty"
Mr.. Murphy's declaration came to-
ward the end of a long chat on the
scope of the proposed foundation to
prevent and relieve suffering and the
promotion Of any and all elements Of
human progress"
MAY I, Mr.. Murphy" asked the re-
porter, write that as authoritative"
you may" he answered. But be
sure to say that what he wants is
more equal distribution of wealth. not
redistribution.
Redistribution he does not believe
effective, nor do we who compose his
committee on benevOlence-J. d. Rock
efeller, Jr., Fred T. Gates, Charles O..
Heydt and myself. 1t is no new thing
to us, the purpose of this foundation.
We have been studying charities for
MI. Rockefeller for years. and he has
been interested in getting down to
fundamentals.
'If a man has 100000 a year to
spend in philanthropy he might, under
a plan Of redistribution, give $500 a
year to 1000 families. That might
serve to keep 1000 families just this
side of the border line of starvation.
Yet that 100000 annually spent in
support Of, say, such a benevolence as
the Medical Research institute, those
same 1000 families would benefit quite
as much, and then, beyond them, there
would be the benefit bestowed on mul-
titudes of others. No one, for instance,
can compute the value accomplished
by Mr.. Rockefeller's medical institute
in discovering how to prevent and cure
cerebro spinal meningitis.
~ bar on Limitations.
"You say the bill to incorporate the
foundation is indefinite. not specific.
One of the most detrimental things i'll
charities is the control exercised by
the dead hand. The bill was drawn sc
that the foundation should not be lin,
tied or prescribed in its endeavors tc
promote we'll being. Emergencies. oc.
casions of sudden distress. new discov'
cries of the causes of suffering. might
require funds Immediately. We have
to provide for the unforeseen. the un,
known. in creating this corporation fol
the application of money toward gooG
causes. Socialists and philosophers
have long written on the causes Of pow
erty. What we need is actual con
structive work and be done with the
cries.
while nothing has been determined
regarding the organization of the stat
of the foundation and will not be til
the bill Of incorporation is passed,
. it will operate somewhat or
the lines of the Sage foundation. That
you know. financed the survey Of labor
and sociological conditions in Pitts
burg. 1t finances separate societies
and institutions for special investiga
lions and researches. We wish to b.
enabled to do that and anything els,
that may come within u purpose.
1T is fifteen years now since Mr.
Rockefeller retired from business. Hi
abilities in business surely are beyond
discussion. Well. now, give a man O
such high competence in organization
and administration, who has given fit
!, teen years to studying how to devot'
his riches to permanent beneficial uses
and what may not be expected"
IL BOOKSELLERS Personal Work.
MI. Murphy was asked what person
: al part Mr.. Rockefeller takes in ad
ministering his different charities. Hi
answer was:
"Out Of the $53,0oo,O0O he has give
to the general education board he re
tains the absolute direction Of onl,