Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-16

business would be just as good a time as
IN the spring and that we could appeal
to the people of Augusta better after
they had known the blessedness Of giving
in the Red Cross campaign.
someone said the campaign directors
hunted out the Augusta job that they
found out that something was polling
down here and they proceeded to get in
touch with us Chat flexible word). AS
a matter Of fact they did Motive got
in touch with them. We made the con-
tract with them. We selected the time
when they were to come here.
Theoretically we must pay . per cent.
CT collections and must pay the expenses
Of the campaign. But as a practical mat
ter l yield to Mr.. Macomber for a mo-
ment.
MIR. Macomber spoke as follows;
at has been my G bod fortune to have
been a member of this board of trustees
for % years and | have been at a great
many meetings. The reports have almost
always shown a deficit and in the last
five or six years we discovered that we
had to do something for the hospital D.
we should not have any hospital.
me tlIcNlblS nave htoN uSsSu IL ~
the Hospital Aid has done a great deal
Of work without raising much money. IN
the last six years that they have been
striving for this fund they have raiSe'i
less than 5000. 1t seemed to me that We
either had to abandon the hospital or
build a wing.
I'VE had no money TO make additions or
improvements. so last spring ! began TO
look around to find somebody who knew
how to raise this money and would come
here to help US. I went to New York,
but before I went | had correspondence
with Mr.. Smiths organization. l was re
ferred 10 a dozen cities all over the coun-
try where Mr.. Smiths firm had. conduct
ed hospital campaigns. I wrote to the
officers Of these hospitals and found that
the campaign directors had been success
full in every instance.
"I arranged with Mr.. Smith to come
here on the 18th of May. That was be-
fore any Red Cross campaign. any Lib
erty Loan or anything of the sort. !
! made a contract with these people after
a vote of the board of directors.
"NOw there may he people who say
they do not intend to give to the hospital
because the campaign director will re-
ceive a commission on what they give.
Now | agree to do this: I will pay the
entire fee of the campaign manager, so
that the money won't go out of town X
cept as my money. Gov If you people do
! what we ought to do and raise the $S0,c0o.
1t will cost me $4,000. I hope o make me
pay it. believe you will"
Nj. Bassett then continued:
THE only thing left is the question
of the expense. If anyone puts up
. any criticism on that point-the eX-
| pense of running his campaign-you
can tell them hat it would be en-
countored just the same If we were
running it ourselves. Therefore, since
| the commission part has been taken
! care Of. the people who give will give
100 GEMS of every dollar given less
| that small part which is applicable
! to the expenses which we would have
| had to incur in a thorough campaign
run by ourselves here.
Il have been on the hospital board
for Is years. and who is the man who
| has come to every meeting. whether
it has been a meeting of the full board
or with only enough for u quorum
Of three? Who is usually first?
president Macomber, / am thank
full that we still have some of those
able, public spirited men. with whom
in tho past Augusta has been blest.
None have for years played a larger
part than he, a more generous part
than he. Mr.. Dunnack the other V e
ming suggested he might be called
ouroU IL hn hoe crpttpn wind of orIy
call it's because there is n need for
more public spirit somewhere else.
but I don't believe that any call
has come. If we thought so. I would
guarantee to enlist the men of this
city to put around him q rope, take
hold and set their feet. There would
be the prettiest rope pull this city has
ever seen.
1t has been said this hospital has
been properly run" There have been
causes to complain at times.
DOUBTLESS things have been done
which we wished had not been and
which, as soon as known. we have
tried to correct. But l suggest that
things have at times happened due to
the not altogether satisfactory plant
and equipment. Consider u build
ing. Erected for a dwelling. then
changed into a school. then taken by
US and adopted as best we could to a
hospital. With growth of work and
needs complications have arisen.
Let me Illustrate by our lately in
stalled N-ray machine. Today one Of
these machines is absolutely neces-
sary. Where vas it to be put? The
only place was the basement. l will
admit that is not an ideal location.
How much better to take an elevator
and rise to proper light and air. But
you and | and others might wish to
know at once what has happened to us,
whether those bones are in proper
place. And in order to know you
wouldn't hesitate to go into a base
ment if that was all the place avail
able TO set up the means to find put.
"Now what about cost of treatment?
The prices have recently been advanc-
ed and they say that hat is a sample
0r tho rra Y thtc h>a~I $1,000 IT. L1-