Evening star., 1923-03-18
FEELING OUT CITY
ON CHARITY CHEST
Committee Sends Out Letter
to Potential Contributors
Asking Opinions.
MAY ELIMINATE "DRIVES"
Plan Is to Divide Subscriptions
Into Twelve Monthly
Payments.
MAY ELIMINATE "DRIVES"

In order to determine fully the
most practical way In which to carry
out the community chest movement
IN washington, the joint special COM
iailtee In charge Is communicating
with all civic associations in the city
with view to arriving at the con-
census among Washingtonians.
Letters are being sent to the Wash
ington Board Of Trade. Chamber of
Commerce, Bankers Association of
the District of Columbia, Washington
Real Estate Board, Restaurant Mems
Association of Washington, Cosmo-
politan Club, Lions Club, Civitan
Club, Optimists' Club, Federation of
citizens Associations, Kiwanis Club.
rotary Club and the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association.
The letter follows:
1t has been proposed to establish
community chest in Washington
through which business houses and
individuals would contribute the sum
total of their donations for local char
liable and social work and the same
be apportioneG to the worth hile
institutions of the community. ac-
cording to their budgetry needs as
approved by a committee of the lead
ing citizens of Washington.
This movement is inspired by a
desire to accord the said organiza-
tions the necessary support at min
| imum outlay for solicitation. and to
give an opportunity to the members
and workers of charitable and social
organizations to do their practical
work unhampered by the necessity
for individual campaigns and drives
THE community chest would mean
that you would pledge a given
amount annually along with your fell
low citizens. and that payments would
be made in installments throughout
the year. At the outset 1t would
greatly strengthen the hands of those
conducting the chest if you could
guarantee an annual pledge of a
given amount over a period of three
years. Such a system would relieve
would guarantee the fruits of your
generosity doing the utmost good In
tried and honorable hands.
Citizens Would Operate Chest.
Naturally the organizations of
Washington now able to secure their
financial support must give serious
consideration as to whether the COM
munity chest can supply their needs
as we'll as they are now supplied by
their personal efforts. AS an evidence
of the ability OF the chest to meet
their needs. we are sending this let
ter to a representative and compre-
hensive list of our leading business
to indicate on the bottom of this
page whether they desire to make
their gifts through the community
chest or direct, with the understand
ing that the chest. when instituted,
would be in the hands of a compe-
tent committee of Washington busi-
ness men, who would be not only
responsible for the securing of funds
in the community chest but also re-
sponsible for the disbursements, and
give that continuing and necessary
service to the whole problem.
"On behalf of yourself or your firm.
will you state whether or not you
would make a first annual contribu-
tion to the chest and in what amount.
and whether or not you would be
willing to guarantee similar or
larger or smaller amount annually for
three years in order to insure fair
trial of the community chest plan"
The following signatures are at
tached as members of the committee:
Gen. Anton Stephen. William Knowles
Cooper. Newbold Noyes, John Joy
Edison. Rev. John O'Grady, George
Wilson, Daniel Garges. Joshua Evans,
jr.; w. c. Balderson, Evan II. Tucker,
NJ. A. Leese, Rev. w. J.. Darby
Dwight Clark and Charles j. Colum-
bus.