Evening star., 1928-02-21
ASK INDUSTRY AID
IN CHARITY FUNDS
Community Chest Meeting
Hears Corporations View
of Welfare Work.


group conferences prepared to submit
five-minute reports from the sections Of
the conference. which were in session
during the morning and early after
noon.
The group considering the relation
ship of local and national corporations
to community welfare developed discus
sion showing that large corporations
should give more money to community
chests than they are now doing. and
that while employees OF corporations
which have their main offices outside
the particular community do not off,
cially contribute to the community well
fare fund their employees are donors.
Cannot Aid Funds.
Speakers pointed out that corpora
tions are unable to contribute legally
any Of the property OF the stockholders.
but the law does recognize the right of
an employer to spend money for well
fare work for his employees. The dele
gates cited the point that insurance
companies and railroads do not usually
contribute to a community set cam
paign. 1t developed that Richmond has
been more successful in getting funds
from out-of-tovn corporations for COM
munity welfare work.
One delegate insisted that the rail-
roads ought to contribute. considering
the recapture clause of the transporta-
ton act. and give to the places they are
serving instead OF having to return part
OF their fund above per cent to the
Government. One woman delegate said
the chain stores affect contributions as
the merchants feel the competition
keenly. Another delegate asserted that
corporations should be advised that as
they derive benefits from the commute
nifty they should pay legitimate part
OF the community overhead in the form
OF welfare work
F. Dykes of the Bethlehem Steel Cor
poration explained the difficulties his
corporation encountered in contributing
through community chests in the yari-
Gus centers in which it has plants or
offlces. He said the fundamental oles-
tlon TO be considered was whether or
not such help Is the best thing for a
community.
Says Firms Should Pay.
Col: William Cooper Proctor. soap
manufacturer OF Cincinnati. pointed out
that corporations cannot supply all
the social advantages their employees
heed and that there must be a comnu-
nlty organization to handle this. and so
corporations should contribute to these
enterprises. II corporate gifts to a COM
munity chest could be legally set down
as expenses. Col. Proctor said It would
be big help.
Dipping into the future. one of the
delegates said the time Is coming when
there Will be State organizations Of
community chests and each corporation
VIII be allocated quota. BY this
Aetnoo ne foresaw \ solution Of the
problem OF getting foreign CORPORA :
tlons 10 subscribe to community chests.
Inc group conference dealing with
permanent funds decided that II is
best not to have a permanent endow-
ment Tor community chests. as the ro-
tation OF personnel helps keep afiye
civic interest In the community chest.
another group conference deiiberated
over the fund campaign problems. while
another group examined the co-opera- =
tion between national welfare organi-
cations and local communities.
friendly difference OF opinion
threatened to develop in the group meet
ing considering funds for community
chests. when DR.. Edward r Deyine
dean Of American University Graduate
school. asserted that as a general rule
definite limitation should be set bv
testators upon the life OF permanent
FUNDS. so that expenditure Of both capi-
TAI and Income within a definite period
might be assured. While subscribing 10
tnls opinion As economic theory. Felix
M. Warburton of New York said that
MS study OF the history OF great en-
dowments indicated that the apparent-
insurmountable difficulties In the way
OF Indefinitely insurina the soundness
OF investments automatically took care
OF this feature. The discussion then
went into other channels, and the croup
indorsed community trusts as a valuable
dev'ce IN the finance and social plan
ming program OF social work.
Four other conferences discussed these
p1onicins: Division Of responsibility for
weiiafe work between local government
aha private tvoluntary) organization: 4:
whicn local organization should be In
Guided in community chests. the need
TOT social research. the Importance of
Iact basis for community welfare pro-
grams and the problem Of educational
publicity.
SiAiTmen or the varotis groups were
Conference No. ], John Lord O'Brian
OF Buffalo: conference No. z, Vance C.
Mccormick Of Harrisburg: conference
NO: ). Paul A. Schoeilkupf of Niagara
rails: conference No. 4, A. T.. Brooker
OF Clayton. Mo: conference No, s. Oil.
nert S. McClintock OF Wilkes -Harre
conference No. 9. T.. L. Carpenter oi
minneapolis: conference No. 7. c, r.
cross of Cleveland. and Leslie r. For,
OF Plainleld. N. J.
Teaches Giving.
Tracing the growth OF the community
chest movement At last nights dinner
{. M. Bookman Of Cincinnati. president
oi the Association Of Community Ches, !
ana Councils. asserted that the COM
| mu'iity chest has taught thousands Of
people 10 contribute to social welfare
| purposes who never had contributed
| bftoie. ana the chest movement has
Dcen accepted throughout the entire
country AS has no other social move
ment III 40 short II time"
| Mr.. Bookman enumerated among the
benefits the budgeting Of social work.
the forcing Of better cooperation be-
tween agencies and stability. efficiency
ana progress In social work
| Ihe community chest representa- the
greatest advance in modern charity.
secretary Hoover told the conference.
The community chest has inspired
coiifldence In the administration OF
public welfare and has eliminated the
element Of misguided sentimentaiity.' u
The Secretary said, depicting the move
ineht hs real democracy by increasing
The number of donors and avoiding
duplication and waste III social agencies
The relationship between govern.
mrht and the private agencies, MIR
Hoover said. la one Of the most I'm =
poftnht questions facing the American
people At the present time.
| Il heiiese the time will come when
we VIII consider all public health work
the primary duty ot the community v
ana the state and not Of private char
| ity," Mr.. Hoover declared.
| The Secretary was introduced by
| Jnhn Lord O'iriAn of Hlffhln nj M