The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-12
OF THE "sPUGs"
Mrs. BeImont's Address to So- ciety for Prevention of
 Useless Giving.

New York, Nov. 12-A countrywide appeal for the abolition of the useless Christmas gift and a plea for intelli- gent and thoughtful giving instead were voiced last night by Mrs. August Belmont, President of the Spugs, at the opening meeting of the 1913 cam paign to be waged by that organiza- ton against insincerity, compuls1on and waste in Christmas giving
 At this meeting the membership rolls of the Spugs-the Society for the Prevention of Useless Giving-vEere thrown open to all residents of the United States who might want to en- roll against foolish Christmas gifts. Having grown from a handful to more than 5000 within a few weeks during the last Christmas season, the Spugs have outlined for this year a national campaign and hope to establish so- -cieties in all cities and towns through out the country.
 The original purpose of the society, Mrs. Belmont said, was to prevent compulsory giving by girls in stores and factories to their employers, the custom of collective giving which the girls felt they could not afford but which they could not avoid without enb arrassment and possible loss or their positions. This was one of the chief objects of the so&iety, she add
 ed, but not the only one. Another
 prime attainment sought, she sad, was general cultivation by all
 cIa sses of givers, of more thoughtful
 ness and expression of personality in making Christmas gifts.
 teWe do not disapprove of collective giving when it is done on the spur
 of the moment" she said, ''or for some particular cause, because then II means that you have col ected sense of human fellowship of which the l money. collected is but an expression We do approve of it when it is for the man lower down instead of for the
 man higher up.
 l some persons think that, we op- pose giving. Far from it; we do not | oppose giving, but we advocate in i telligent giving-giving that is done 1 with the Christmas spirit of good l will as distinguished from giving thai 1 is compulsory; from fear or with the hope of obtaining reward-whethe1 l that reward be the favor of the mar I higher up or advancement. The worlc
 at large should put more of the Christ mas spirit into giving. Christmas l should be a time for every person tc do his or her share.
 1 Some folks say to us, Of course you want to promote useful giving.
 The word useful has many changes o1 1 meaning. Usually when one thinks
 of a useful present, it is a present de 1 cidedly middle class or comm onplaee So we do not attempt to promote use Eful giving in the commonly accepted i definition of that word. The thing we are really out to do is to abolish I something. We feel that when WI Ehave done that there will follow good l sense in giving and that everybodJ l will be pro1ted thereby.
 we propose to decrease the cost o: I the gift and increase the good will
 to make the heart of Father Christ
 mas rejoice by little acts of kind
 ness, unselfshness, by putting though | into the gift we sent our dear ones I Give generously; but from youF heart ] with all your thought. Don't make Z ] business of giving, make 1t an art | Don't waste what should be a seasoI 1 of goodwill freely given