Evening star., 1928-12-07
BY THOMAS r. HENRY,
staff Correspondent of The Star


INDIANAPOLIS, December 7.-The
Hoosier capital is hospitable, motherly
city.
Even in the corpulent days before the
war it had reputation for good, old
fashioned charity. When cold weather
descended upon the prairie cornfields
the outcaSts drifted in to the steam
heat of her rescue missions Families
whose bread-winners were out of work
were helped through the Winter
months. The city saw to it that none
of her children went hungry or cold
if she knew about them.
All this used to take good deal of
indianapolis pocket money. There
were approximately 80 welfare and
charity organizations. Each went be-
fore the public every year with an ap-
peal for support. In 1917 they col
lected $175,000. The cost of collecting
and administering this money was about
Is per cent. The amount raised by any
individual organization depended great
deal on the efficiency of its campaign
Some got more than they needed
Others, just as worthy, often were
obliged to curtail their work because
of lack of funds. They were jealous
of each other and competed for public
support.
War Chest Solved Problem.
Then came the war. It became
necessary to ask of the citizens amounts
undreamed of before to supply the boys
in France. It was a case of dollars
then against dimes in the past. The
problem of collecting this money was
solved by starting war chest, the
amount collected to be pro rated among
the various welfare organizations with
the Army and Navy and the local
charities. Under the emotional stress
of the war the citizens gave without
stint.
This method proved SO successful
that it was continued after the war
The first local Community Chest cam
paign was conducted in 1921. All the
local organizations which made appeals
to the public and which could show
that they served a real purpose in the
community were included. There was
no longer the emotion of patriotism and
the personal interest in somebody in the
service. Service flags had been taken
down from the windows. There was nc
longer the appeal of Woodrow Wilson
to give until it hurts
That year the Community Chest or
ganization raised $40701 for all the
organizations, compared with the $175,-
600 they had been able to raise by their
own efforts. There has been a steady
increase ever since all out of proportion
to the growth of population and the
fluctuations of prosperity in the city's
industries. The next year $447,579 was
raised.
Progress since has been as follows
1923, $554,078; 1924, $685. ,385; 1925,
$632,912; 1926, $651,O47; 1927, $657,-
646; 1928, $726,126.
In these years there has been no
very notable increase in the commun-
ity income. Some new factories have
been established, but others have gone
out of business The population has
increased approximately 5000 per year
II is now about 375,000 The collection
TINS year, in a campaign just con-
cluded to meet the needs of 1929, was
$752,000. This is four times what was
raised under the individual financing
method in 1917. The fund represents
approximately 50 per individual of the
cltys population. There were 52,447
givers. The cost of raising and ad-
m1nistering this money was approx.
mately 6 per cent. 1t will be distribut-
ed. on basis of needs and service rem
uereo, among 81 welfare and charity
institutions.
Organization Is AlI-IncIusive.
The fund organization is practically
inclusive of all such institutions in the
city, including Protestant, Catholic anc
Jewish societies. It is directed by the
city's leading business men. For the
past two years the chairman of the
executive committee of the campaign
fund has been Walter G. Marmon
automobile manufacturer. The distri.
button has given general satisfaction.
The givers to the community fund
represent fair cross section of tho
clty's population. There are few out.
standing individual givers. The largest
donation this year was for S25 900
One department store gave $4,000. =
considerable portion of which repre-.
sented the personal contribution of the
owner.
The steady increase in the fund. &C.
cording to Homer BorSt connrnllnity