The Washington herald., 1913-01-19
EXPECT ACTION
ON ENDOWMENT
Fate Of Bill to Incorporate
Rockefeller Foundation
Soon to Be Decided.
INVOLVES 100000, 900
Measure Has Been on House Calen-
dar for More Than One
Year.

mai dSuOh eO thc pttSthN sc5-
sion of Congress Is concerned VIII be
taken tomorrow on the bill to incorpor-
ate the Rockefeller Foundation with an
all charitable or philanthropIc purposes
that advance civilization. when the pro-
posed measure is again brought before
the House
In one form or another. the bill has
been pending for almost two years. As
originally introduced in the Senate. II
embodied features TO which exceptions
were taken. as a result of which its pas
sage was not urged. Notwithstanding that
the Senate Committee having ii in
charge recommended its passage. The
present bin. which was revised to meet
all possible objections, was reported ia
vorably by a unanimous vote from the
House Judiciary Committee. but has re-
mained on the calendar for almost a year
by reason of the fact that conditions
were not favorable to bills to which
there was any objection on the part Of
individual members OF the House.
The fight against the measure In its
present revised form is led by Repre-
sentative Fowler of Illinois and Repre-
sentative ShackIeford of Missouri, the
members of whose faction declare that
they see in the measure an effort on the
part of the capitalistie class to influence
public opinion in its favor by huge bene-
factions SUCH as the one proposed in the
foundation.
Peters for Measure.
Representative Peters OF Massachu-
sets, representing the Judiciary Commit
tee will lead the fight on the floor for
the measure. The friends Of the bill point
out that II is better for John d. Rookie
feller's hundred million to be working
tor the bettermeut of humanity than to
be boarded up by man who already
has more money than he knows what to
dc with, and who Is getting more all the
time. in spite of his best efforts TO stop
the influx. Mr.. Peters figures that he
will put the bill through with two
thirds majority.
Jerome ID. Greene. of New York, a
trustee in many of Mr. Rockefeller's en-
terprises. is taking active part in the
campaign for the passage of the BILL
as the oil mans authorized agent.
IF this measure goes through. 1t will
make Washington an important center
for many movements which aim at bet
tering conditions of life for the race,
declared Mr.. Greene last night.
Under the terms OF the foundation
bill in its present form. the use of the
gift is absolutely subject TO control BY
Congress at every point
HE does not have to obtain Fed
eral charter for his foundation. Under
the laws OF almost any State founda-
ton could be incorporated or trustee
ship set up which would be much less
re stricted than Is that established by
the proposed bill.
Must Never Exceed S1O0,OOO,OOO.
THE language is left purposely indeh-
mite in order that the foundation may
respond to the changing demands of the
public as long as II remains in exist
ence. The donor realizes that the power
Of determining the special objects to
which the fund shall be devoted ought
to be left for all time with living men.
who will always be better able to Judge
of curren. necessities than any man. no
matter how far sighted, could possibly
be. who had died long before. Hence
there will be no dead hand weighing
upon the endowment of the Rockefeller
Foundation.
"Cnder the provisions of the bill. the
tctal amount Of property to be held by
the foundation al any one time, whether
absolutely or in trust, must never eX-
ceed the original gift OF 800. 10000, ex-
elusive of increases in value of property
to its receipt.
Moreover, the income of the property
must not be allowed to accumulate or
be added to the principal, but must be
currently applied to the objects of the
corporation. However, as the foundation
will have an income of not more than
s5,vOo.Ooo a year and will have all hu-
manity to spend it upon, there will never
he an danger that the trustees will be
at a loss to find uses for the money.
THE corporation is empowered to dis
tribute the principal of any property at
the end of fifty years after its receipt,
while the whole foundation may be re-
qured to dissolve at the end of 100 years,
IL so directed by Congress.
THE number of members administering
the funds is not to be less than nine
nor more than twenty-five. serving three
year terms, one-third of the total num-
ber being elected each year. New mem- |
bers to the corporation are TO be elected
by these already on the board. subject
to disapproval by the majority OF a
committee consisting Of the President of
the United States, the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court, the President OF the
Senate, the Speaker OF the House, and
the presidents of Harvard, Yale. Co
lumb!a, Johns Hopkins. and the Univer- |
sity of Chicago. All property owned
by the foundation Is subject to taxation, |
except only personal property used for
purposes Of the corporation which Is sit |
GATED in land under Federal Jurisdiction
Neither shall anyone connected with the
foundation be allowed to receive any
pecuniary benefit from 1t except reason |
able salaries.
Congress May Never Alter Charter.
"As a final safeguard against the fund
becoming too big. or being used in ways
which might not turn out to the best |
interest of the public welfare, 1t Is pro- |
vided that the charter can be altered or
entirely at the pleasure Of Con- |
gress.
Mr. Rockefeller himself is as keenly |
anxious as anyone possibly can be to
make sure that the great sum which he |
is about to give shall always be used |
for the purposes which he has in mind, |
and he has employed the best advice |
that he could obtain to insure this re-
suit in the pending measure.
Through the whole project OF the |
there runs the principle OF |
stimulating rather than replacing self
help and self-reliance. This is prin-
.iple which Mr.. Rockefeller has always /
in every one OF his phiian-
thropies. Thus, the work of the COM
mission for the eradication OF hookworm |
has been carried on exclusively through |
State agencies with the cooperation OF |
hundreds of physicians and has oeen |