Evening star., 1928-12-04
COMMUNITY CHEST PLAN
IS WELL RECOMME
BY CLEVELAND LEADERS

fare Federation, four by the Jewish
Federation, two by the Chamber of
Commerce, and the mayor, city manager
and director of public welfare hold eX-
offlcio positions. These 81 men elect 20
more from among the citizens at large.
1t is Self-perpetuating organization.
Theoretically, its function is almost en-
tirely one of money raising. The We'll
fare Federation and Jewish Federation
pass upon their own membership. There
has been the closest cooperation from
the start. system of equable distri-
button, based on service rendered, has
been reached by which nine-tenths of
the money goes to the Welfare Fedora
tion and one-tenth to the Jewish Fed
Grafton.
The various groups to benefit by the
campaign estimate late in August the
amount of money they will need. These
reports are passed upon by the council,
which then lays its plans for the cam
paign In November BY well operated
statistical and research service the de-
mandS are kept down within actual
needs. The unit cost of the work of
one organization, such as hospital, is
compared with that of similar organi-
cations in Cleveland and throughout the
country. This represents an earnest ef-
1OiI W RAdy ldI WACu Tie puOlAc. LIE
Cleveland citizen knows that the
amount asked for each year is reason
able and arrived at on business basis
He knows also that the total represents
only what city of Cleveland'S size
and wealth Is in honor bound to give
for the care and redemption of It's poor
and unfortunate.
Charity on Scientific Basis.
The organization of the Community
Fund Council has made it possible to
place giving on scientific basis and
reduce waste in charity to the mini
mum. The continual effort, according
to Kenneth Sturgis, director of the
Community Fund, is to broaden the
basis of giving to the point where every
citizen will be aware of the obligation
to assume his fair share of the cityS
charitable burden. A community fund,
once established, does not run auto
natically, Mr. Sturgis says. There Is
casualty factor of from 6 to per cent
annually, due to deaths, business fall
ures and change of location of giverS.
This must be provided for by interest
ing new givers.
About II per cent of the total is
subscribed by 5000 individuals and cor
porationS with annual contributions of
800 or more, while the remainder comes
from the rank and file, who give ac-
cording to their means. It is difficult,
Mr.. Sturgis says, to derive any formula
by which to calculate what an individ-
ual should give. The bulk of a COM
munity chest always will come from
the weather. part of the population
and from the business houses, but 1t
would be impossible to lay down any
definite percentage of income which
they should give to charity because
they may be engaged in other interests,
such as the endowment of education,
which they consider of more permanent
value to the public. In the lower
brackets, he says, it seems fair to set
a figure of one-third of per cent of
the years wage-one days pay-for the
average wage Garner and | per cent for
the person canning from $4,000 to $500
year.
General Ratio Evolved.
There is, however, general ratio
community chest campaigns by which
the so highest giyerS contribute about
one-fourth, the 500 highest givers about
two-fourths, and the 5000 highest CIV
ers about three-fourths, each CLASH
fication including the preceding group.
This leaves one-fourth to be collected
from those outside the 5000 highest.
1t is like an inverted pyramid, with the
SO highest givers as the base. Mr..
Sturgis believes that any community
chest campaign must be undertaken
with this in mind.
It also is essential, he holds, to keep
in mind that the generosity of the
public Is not limitless, but has quite
definite limits The public will not give
more than is needed and an attempt
to raise extravagant amounts Is GER
tain to end in failure. Under the COM
munlty chest arrangement, however,
more Is secured than would be possible
by the appeals of individual societies,
each working In a limited field.
The Cleveland organization also has
kept in mind that there is a variable.
but none the less actual, saturation
point In giving. No city, even after
10 years of education, ever has gone
much above 81 per capita, and this is
considerably above what can be ex-
pected at first From $3.50 to So per
capita, according to Raymond Clapp,
secretary of the Cleveland Welfare
Federation, Is an excellent figure at
the start. He compares it, however,
with the saturation point Of salt in
water, which increases with the tenn
perature of the water. The saturation
point in community giving increases
gradually as the public is warmed up"
to the needs and opportunities.
Social Justice Is Stressed.
The Cleveland campaign Is conducted
with the full cooperation of the news
papers, the churches the schools, the
", GIIctrioc ord tho labor IipiOuc An