Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-13
BENJAMIN H. LUDLOW
On Giving to Charities

OH SIVIng tC SHdTIt'eS
ECONOMY and efficiency arc the great
- ends to be achieved in the community
drive which will be conducted by the Wei
fare Federation next fall, according to the
plans now being made by Ben njamin H.
Ludlow, who hns been made the chairman
of the committee having the drive in charge.
THE national hystPria which made great
drives successful without much questioning
during the period of the war has now sub
sided" said Mr.. Ludlow, "and this feeling
has been succeeded as it should be. by one
of cold common sense. Figures carefully
compiled show that during the war period
the expenses Of these drives ran from per
cent in the more economically administered
to 16 per cent, and a few even higher in
those which were conducted less carefully
SO far as expense was concerned. The fig
ures upon which the estimates Of our cam
paign are based show only 3 per cent in
costs. This leaves S07 out of every 500
for the purposes for which the money is to
be given. And it should be borne in mind
this 3 per cent covers not only all the cost
Of raising the money, but Of administering
it as well.
Now, out Of the 40, O00, 900 population
IN tnP | nlteu states, l'nllHNcIpnlH lISel1 mas
about | 800 900. hut in addition there are
the suburbs. which for all practical purposes
may be considered as part of Philade-
phia. although politically separate. But the
residents of these suburbs come constantly
to Philadelphia. many of the men have their
businesses here and large amount of the
giving to charity comes from them. They
will add about 200,00O more to the list Of
Phiadelphians. actual or potential, making
the total about 1000 000-no inronsiderable
percentage of the population Of the country.
"Of these 1000 900 persons, About 80 900
may be rated as consistent and regular
gvcrs to the charities Of the City-some Of
them large givcrs. but all of them regular
1t is our task to increase this number.
Percentage Is Low
"From these figures it will be seen that
the percentage Of Philadelphia givcrs Is not
81 high ns 1t should be in the r,p4t tho.
Oughly American city in the country We
have now n little more than per cent of
the total population giving. while Clevela nd
with u per cent Of its population regular
gvcrs to charity and Rochester (thc highest)
with 90 per cent far outrNnk us. But this
is not because the people of philadclphia
are not liberal. but because the manner Of
making the collections In those other cities
is better This condition will be changed
and believe the figures as well, by our cam
paign In the fall
After the fund is collected 1t will be
administered by representative board Of
trustees. composed of the finest men and
women in the city. AS the collections will
be made on n strictly non -scctarnn basis
SO will the administration of the funds.
The board Of trustees will include Protcs-
tants, Catholics, Hebrews and representa-
tivcs Of every other large class in the city,
and 1t Is needless to say that absolute JUS
tice and equity Will be its keynote.
Largely Volunteer Work
"One reason why we will be able TO keen
the expenses so low Is that most of the
work will be done on volunteer basis
There will be few salaries paid and those
which are given will not be lnrge ones. and
they will all be earned. There will he no
commissions paid, as was the case in many
of the drives during the war There il
nothing more dishcartening to the givcr.
who often denies himself In order that hi :
contribution may be as large us possible, thnn
TO learn afterward that considerable nor
ccntagc of what he gave went in the form
Of expenses, even though those expenses be
legitimate ones. Everything Of this SORT
viii be eliminated from our Campaign
The members Of our committee all ore
volunteers. We are not even dollar r-n.vcar'
men; we are dollar-a drive men without
the dollar.
I'VE also propose to eliminate Some Of
the features OF former campaigns which
proved to be distasteful if not aCtuallv no.
gravatng to the general public There win
be no street booths and all of our workers
will be instructed not to stop people on the
streets when they are busy and thinking of
other things and ask for contributions. This
Is not only distasteful 10 the public, but il
is often embarrassing to the persons an
preached, and while 1t may bring I'm a few
dollars. 1t often results in the loss OF larger
contributions from the same people II they
Z had been approached at q better time and
in more tactful manner.