The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-05
Makes tt Possible For Every Citizen Who Cannot F
to Enlist His Personal Services in the
Great War.
H0N SYRACUSE And COLUMBUS DID It
Under the Columbus Plan Every Person in the Commun
ty Gets Chance to Make Monthly Contribution
to the Fund

Anticipating that when ]. Walter
Barnes, chairman of the Marion county
Council OF Defense calls the conference
e to consider plans 10 meet the calls
upon this county for war financing du
ring the current year there would be
a demand for some actual facts
about the War chest plan which
has been put into effect in Columbus.
The West Virginian asked the News
paper Enterprise AssociatioDto assign
a capable reporter to make an investi-
cation OF what has been done in Colu
mbus and set 1t forth in a newspaper
article such as would furnish a ready
answer to most of the questions that
are likely to come up. The following
Is the result:
Careful reading OF the following will
give comprehensive idea of JUST how
community war chest can be worked
put in any city:
First survey the local field and note
that beside the Red Cross. Y. NJ. c. A.
and other large organizations. tempo
rary and improm2tu organiza tions
have been collecting large funds for
various limited kinds of war relief
will probably be collected during tie
coming year.
Conflict and duplication Of effort
are certain to develop; those asked TO
contribute funds or personal service
will find it difficult to evalua:e the
relative merits OF the various appeals
Some OF the smaller calls have a ten
dency to detFact from the strength OF
the more important ones. General dis
integration and confusion Of effort will
result.
Meanwhile. community resources
must be conserved for the bigger
strain OF the war which is still to
come.
The whole community must there
fore be interested and organized in
this work TO the end that the maxi
mum support be given by the entire
city. The organization should be per-
manent for the duration OF the var
and for period after it.
This organization should be a coordi-
mating agency for the community's
financial service in the present nation
al emergency. 1t must make it posi-
bic for every citizen who cannot go to
the front to enlist at least in financial
and personal service in the way.
The war chest plan, first most sue
a city OF 10000 population, has been
found hest to meet this situation.
The principle OF the Syracuse plan
Is given in the proclamation issued by
Mayor Walter r. Stone. as follows:
From this tine forward collections
for any and all purposes incident to
the war shall be made through a sin
gle authorized aScnc5-. the finance
committee and likewise distributed
through a single authorized agency,
the committee on disbursements To
this committee all demands for funds
for purposes related to the war will
be presented and through this com
mittee all war relief will be admins
tered"
The Defense Council act as the
Board Of Trustees OF the War Chest
Association. The Syracuse campaign
was inaugurateG during the last week
Of June. 1917, in the hope OF raising
fund OF at least 100000 for each year
OF the war. this fund TO be subscribed
in the form OF memberships at the
rate Of $1.0o per month for each month
during the war. The campaign re-
Riited in the pledsing of subscriptions
Tor each year amounting to $1.159.
we're made on a monthly basis for the
period OF the war. The Onondaga
County Savings Bank furnishes space,
light and heat free.
IAN example Of the disbursing meth
Cd can be given by citing the Red
Cross War Fund campaign. The Syr-
acuse quota was 100000. Red Cross
officials made application to the dis
hursements committee OF the Syracuse
war Chest Association for that
amount. After due consideration the
committee appropriated the amount
requested and directed the Treasurer
Of the Association TO make monthly |
payments to the Red Cross.
Careful consideration Of the syria !
cgse idea led to the following pro
posed plan with notifications made !
profitinE by the Syracuse experience. |
This IS the Columbus plan.
The object OF the Columbus Com
m9nity War Service is to enlist and .
organize for war needs every man,
woman and youth IN the community
aud 10 enable each OF do his duty ac-
cordtng to his ability during the period
OF the war It Is IN charge OF gen
esEI Committee throughIy representa-