The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-18
Nathan Sfr0us, Noted Merchant
and PMlanthropisf, Tells Why,
He Is Giving His Fortune AWay
RY RIrH ARELING.

Straus, the famous merchant, is
probably the only man who is sim
cerely happy in giving beyond his
income. His philanthropies are
making deep inroads on the prin-
cipal of his fortune. At "a his hope
is to dispense of all he wants to
give away before the lawyers read
his last will and testament.
THE time is coming when it will
be Questionable to die and leave a
great fortune" says Straus. 81
firmly believe that IL every passing
generation left its children only
enough to provide for them in youth
thus making it necessary for them
to earn their own way and build
their own fortune, the world would
tr better off in every respect"
Straus insists there Is money
enough in the world for everyone.
'If every person who will die with
in the next Is years." he says,
''1eaving fortunes to be taxed and
fought over would give that money
to worthy causes now, there would
not be one hungry person in the
world today"
Save on Taxes.
With business sagacity asserting
itself, Straus points out, too, that
there is sound business reason
for giving while you live, for thus
you save on both income and in
heritance taxes"
Straus has saved countless thou
sands of lives through his propa-
ganda for pasteurized milk. And
it has not been an easy road to
travel. He lived through all the
trials and tribulations of the pio-
neer as a laynan to convince ply
sicians and scientists OF the merit
Of his claim that death turks III raw
milk.
Nowadays pasteurization of milk
Is enforced in most civilized coun-
tries and Straus says it will con-
tine to save untold numbers from
disease and death.
His other philanthropies have in
cluded aiding the unemployed. the
soldiers and sailors in the World
war, the war orphans and the peo-
pie in Palestine. At present he is
contributing $4,000 to $4,000 a
month to soup Kitchens in Pales-
tine and this is one of the least of
his benevolences.
Sewing q Maria"
Giving is a mania of mine," said
Straus at Atlantic City, where he
and his wife are spending the win
ter. THE first emotion Of my life
that I can recall was feeling sorry
because I could not help someone.
NJ II h,xr Luna fNlk
that If / could save just one life
1 would not have lived in vain" His
yearning has borne fruit in not one
but tens Of thousands of lives
saved.
Straus is SO keyed up to giving
that he actually senses necessities
before they are presented to him.
Maybe it's mental telepathy, or
something, but he called it wire
less" when he said:
do you believe in wireless? I
have here letter from DR.. De Sofa
Pool" taking the missive from his
pocket. HE is a former New York
rabbi in charge of my undertakings
in the Palestine. He writes me he
needs money for some unexpected
needs that have arisen. But before
the letter reached me l had sent
the money for those very things. l
somehow sensed that it was
needed"
Straus advises those who intend
making requests to be paid after
death to pay them while living.
Giving is the great thrill" he says,
''it's a continual thrill of happiness.
After I've done soma little thing
for somebody, l am a lot happier
in thinking that he is better off this
night than he was last night.
"And anyone can give according
to what he has.
Speeds Up Request.
when / made my will, I set
aside 81 200 to be given to a man
in New York who always has been
a very good friend to me. When l
made that will, I didn't expect it
would be so long before he'd get it,
so the other day l went to him
and told him about the bequest and
said he had waited too long; that I
wanted him to have the money
now
"I can't do that, Mr.. Strauss
he said. I couldn't think of taking
it
well. you'd take It if I were
dead, wouldn't your I argued, and
so you ought to take it now Fin
ally | persuaded him And that