The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-04
CHARITY MEMBERS
 WILL BE CHECKED BY NEW ROMANCE

New York. May 4-Charity workers In this city expressed their approval yesterday of the proposed ordinance introduced into the board of aldermen recently by Louis J. Wendell, requiring managers of charity entertainments to U5Ssin a license and furnish a bond. The p4~.ca<ad law is designed to put e.1l end to the ex71sz1>eing of charity for profit, and is especially aimed at those who make a business of manag- ing charitable affairs for a percentage of the gross receipts.
 It is. the opinion of those who have been engaged in charitable work for many years that such an ordinance would do much to protect the public and the charitable institutions and or ganizations. The proposal as it was offered, they say, is mild, and will work a hardship on no one, but will do much to correct abuses which have sprung up in the past few years. An advantage of such law, as pointed out by a charity workers who is en- gagged in Investigating appeals for aid is that it may be instrumental in ob- taining state control for all incorpor- tated charities. That is where the con- troI of all such bodies should rest, ac- cording to the worker, but until such step is taken it would be advantage ous to place such work under the con
 
 state saw fit to take up the task, the city could very easily do away with the ordinance so that there would be no conflicting authorities.
 The Entertainment Manager.
 Of recent years, and more especially 4inces the. outbreak of the European war, there have appeared persons who have made their living by managing charitable entertainments on per acentage basis. In many instances, after the managers share Of the re- 5ceipts and the expenses of the enter 1tain1nent have been deducted, there is little or nothing left for the purposes for which the enter tainment was or AiginaIly fintended.
 While the proposed ordinance does not prohibit the engagement of man agers under such an arrangement, it's provisions are such that it would eIirn- mate many of the abuses that have grown up under this system. It pro- Hvfdes that such managers shall file an estimated list of expenses with the bureau of licenses at the time of pro- curing the license. This list or a state ment of the portion of the gross pro- ceeds to be devoted to charitable pur- poses is to appear in a conspicuous place on all advertisements, programs. invitations, and letters of appeal.
 These provisions, according to those i1iterested in charitable work, will go a long way toward eliminating from this field those managers whose sole object is to make a. profit for them selves An expense account, accom- panied by vouchers, to be filed with the commissioner of licenses within 10~ days after the entertainment is held, is another provision of the or dinance which would be a check on seH-seeking managers.
 Only recently it was discovered that an agent for an orphan asylum who was employed on a percentage basis. was using the European war as the basis. of his appeal. In let ter sent to prospective subscribers, he asked for subscriptions for the bene- fits of the orphans whose fathers had been killed at the front. On inves- tigation, it was found that the money was being used for an orphan asy- 1unas but in no way was this insti- tution aiding the war-orphans of Eu- rope. It developed that the man agers of the asylum knew nothing about the methods which were being used to obtain subscriptions for their institution.
 2 In several other instances similar methods have been used by collectors and managers who have been em- ployed to work for a percentage of the receipts. Under the proposed ordnance, it was pointed out, such persons would be under bond, and their licenses might be revoked for cause at any time