The Washington times., 1915-02-16
Miss Janet Richards Declares
Undue Efforts Would Cause
Economic Depression.
CHECK IS MOST ACCEPTABLE
Many Would Lose Work II Large
Group Decided to Forswear
Same Pleasures.

MAKE some sacrifice. Each sacrifice
should be adjusted to individual cases.
Everyone should not try to sacrifice
the same thing. or you will create one
need to meet another"
This is the message Of Miss Janet
Richards to Washington for self-Denial
day. with which the Donation Week
campaign to help Washington charities
will open tomorrow.
More than 700 society women, who
attend Miss Richards current event
classes at Woodward & Lothrop's, will
hold an experience meeting" in the
auditorium OF the store at o'clock
tomorrow. to tell what sacrifices he
or she made for the day. Through
out the day these women will solicit
contributions for the self-denial fund.
Besides having direct charge of the
work at Woodward & Lothrop's. Miss
Richards will be In general charge of
the work Of the day. Through The
Times she today addressed instructions
to all Donation Week workers. because
there was not time to reach them in
dividually.
Large Gifts Sure.
1--WE already are assured of large in
dividual contr buttons from many wom-
en-" said Miss Richards. Some OF
these contributions will represent the
cost Of a gown. the cost Of a theater
party or the price Of an entertainment
But we are most anxious that nor
NAL expenditures should not be unduly
interfered with by this self-denlal.
Rather would we have such contribu-
tions come directly out Of bank ac-
counts, and have these women so IN
spending money as they normally are
accustomed to do.
you can see what it would mean IL
several hundred women, for example,
gave UP one or more spring gowns.
Dressmakers. already suffering. would
suffer more. BY aiding some Of the rn-
employed. we would throw others into
that class.
1.-The same argument would apply to
theater-going. II all women who con
tribute were to stay away from the
theater for two months. 1t would Sc
riously injure the theatrical business.
and many actors and actresses would
swell the list of unemployed.
80 II is with entertainments: Cancel
4 largo number of social functions, and
the flower trade Is disturbed, and many
thrown out Of work. In times like this
it Is the duty of women who can af-
ford 1t to spend money, not to econo-
mize unduly.
Dressmakers Rushed.
ITO illustrate, l was told by my dress
maker that If had not had as many
gowns made this season as ! have In
previous seasons. she would have suf-
fered. For other women had Cancelled
their orders for gowns. When she told
me that. I ordered more gowns than I
really needed. and that l considered
good philanthropy as we'll as good
economics"
Miss Richards pointed out that this
argument applied to small contributions
as we'll as to large contributions.
Therefore. she Is not urging Sny par
ticular form Of sacrifice.
"Ali the suggestions that have neen
made are excellent" she continued
The more suggestions we think of the
better 1t will be. for that will scatter
the fire, and thus we shall not place an
undue burden upon any one industry"
The most acceptable sacrifice. in Miss
Richards opinion, and the sort that
will do most good will be those con.
trtbutions which come from bank &C.