Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-03

remain In the hands of persons who are
experts along these lines.
The annual campaign is purely
business proposition. The directors
have SO organized their system that
they can tell within a few thousand
dollars how much will be received. This
will vary slightly from year to year, but
on the whole it follows definite laws.
AS result of the educational activities
of the Community Chest and the Coun-
Gil of Social Agencies it is now safe to
count on approximately 81 a head of
the population. This, Mr.. Wareheim
says, is considerably higher than can
be expected in the city which has not
been educated" where the donations
will run under So a head.
Rochester has the advantage of an
intense community spirit and of a
Eastman and the present head of the
organization, Edward Bausch of the
Bausch-Lomb Optical Co., who give
substantial amounts each year. These
men have made the Community Chest
the agency for their public local chari-
ties.
In any consideration of a Community
Chest, Mr.. Wareheim says, it is an alb
Surd policy to overlook the wealthy citi-
zen, but at the same time it is neces-
Sary to spread out to the general pub
lie. even If the individual contributions
are small. Last year more than $314,-
600 was contributed by employees in in
dustry compared to $140,925 in 1919
and the average amount per pledge was
increased from $3.50 to $3.74.
serious mistake sometimes made In
organization of community chest, Mr.
Wareheim says, is that of asking too
much. The public is not a limitlass
reservoir of money which can be ex-
tracted for charity by an emotional ap-
peal: IL must first be determined how
much the public can be expected to
give, based on the experience of other
cities, and then pare down the esti-
mates within this figure. In almost
every case, however, the public can be
expected to give much more than it IS
giving under the hit-or-miss method
by which each organization comes out
with its own appeal and makes door,
to-door canvaSses. Where solicitor fol-
lows solicitor the person solicited soon
begins to evolve stratagems for getting
rid OF them. Moreover, the solicitor for
the individual organization is apt to
be timid and not to gauge his prospect
correctly. The result Is that he gets
"AASAC 41AA64At ACdoOldD4y cAQGCO
500.
Effect on Contributors.
The criticism sometimes is voiced,
said Mr.. Kuoldt, that the community
chest arrangement throws the burden
from the shoulders of the rich giver
onto that of the general public, while
exactly the reverse is the case. Under
the old system the millionaire gives $40
or SIS to each charity. His contribu-
lions are scattered. Under the chest
arrangement he gives everything in one
sum and Is more than likely to make
this sum in accord with the dignity
and responsibility of his position.
The publicity and advertising for the
chest campaign are dignified and peril
nent. There are none Of the emotional,
disproportionate appeals that charac-
terize solicitation by individual organi-
cations. Under the old system the re-
Spouse Of the public was likely to be
determined by the emotional fervency
of the advertising rather than the real
merit of the case. Actually some of
the social and charity work for which
there Is the greatest need and which
is most expensive does not lend itself
to emotional appeals at all, while some
Of the unworthiest projects are ideal
for this purpose. The work of real
worth often Is such that it can be ap-
preciated only by men with some train
ing in sociology and accountancy.
Both the Community Chest organi-
cation and the Council of Social