Evening star., 1928-12-06
a New Ruling Requested.


The Star from day to day demonstra-
tive of the successful operation of the
Community Chest plan. in other cities
throughout the country gives grounds
for high hopes for the big experiment
to be made here this Winter In every
instance we are told of tremendous in
crease in the number of contributors to
local welfare work and Of enhanced eff
cheney and cooperative enthusiasm on
the part of the agencies themselves.
There is not and has never been justif1-
cation for the pessiniStic belief some
times expressed that there is some myS-
terious factor in the local situation
which is going to prevent the achieve
ment of full success here for a scheme
fully successful in not one but scores Of
other communities essentially divergent
in their respective problems. But there
is one factor in the local equation
which must be recognized and coped
with If anything like the potential
strength of the National Capital is to be
thrown behind the Chest movement.
That factor is the relationship of ap-
proximately sixty-f1ve thousand Govern
ment employees in Washington to local
welfare work
Perhaps the most fundamental pur-
pose of the Chest, wherever in oper-
alton, is to bring home to every citizen
of the community in which it operates
the fact that he or she shares the re-
sponsibility of adequately meeting that
community's welfare needs. Perhaps
the most satisfactory outcome of the
Community Chest movement throughout
the country has been the demonstrated
pride of tens of thousands in playing
their part in making the Chests sue
cessful.
Government employees are Washing
tonians. They benefit with every other
citizen of the National Capital in the
efficient operation of the local welfare
agencies. They are. in vast majority
of instances, entirely able to contribute
to the support of the essential work
carried on by those agencies.
There has been In the past strictly
enforced prohibition against solicitation
in the various governmental depart
ments and bureaus which has protected
the Government employe from the
haraSsments of other Washingtonians
incidental to the multiple drives, cam
paigns and appeals of the past. Some
have given despite this fact. But to a
vast majority, properly protected in the
interests of the business efficiency of
the Government, the fact that their aid
is needed If the welfare problems of
their community are to be met has
never been brought home.
That fact must be brought home in
the coming campaign if success is to
crown a tremendously worth while
project.
The logical point at which to ap-
proach Government employees with
view to enlisting their support for the
Chest is at their place of business rather
than at sixty-f1ve thousand scattered
residences. It is so that other employees
will be approached. Surely some method
the procedure. The very nature of the
Chest, purposed as it is to relieve the old
condition of multiple appeals, which
made necessary the old ruling of no de-
partmental solicitation, justifies and
calls for the change in the ruling which
would enable the Chest campaign work.
ers to reach the Government employees.
The technical phases of just how that
approach could best be effected could
be readily arranged by those familiar
with the details concerned. All that is
necessary is that the cabinet of Presi-
dent Coolidge, apprised OF the exigen-
cies Of the situation, should acquiesce to
the plausible and necessary proposal
that on one or more days of the week
devoted to the Chest campaign the
great body of Washingtonians formed
by Uncle Sans employees may be in
vited to participate in a very important
civic enterprise. That such acquies-
cence will be forthcoming will be the
earnest hope, not only of the COM
munity as whole, but of great ma
jority Of that public-spirited group
which would thus be brought into their
true relationship to that enterprise.