Evening star., 1928-11-20
CHEST IS HAILED
AS SOCIAL AGENCY
Much Better Than Individual
Fund Drives, Street Tells
Monday Evening Club.

Prediction that the social agencies O.
Washington will be more adequately
supported under the Community Ches
than under the old system of in
dividual fund campaigns was made last
night by Elwood Street, director of the
Washington Community Chest. in an
address before the Monday Evening
| Club at the Y. w. G. A. He discussed
the Community Chest from many angles
and declared he felt the movement had
started auspiciously in this city.
George S. Wilson, director of public
welfare, welcomed t!lc Community Chest
to Washington. He said the private well
fare agencies would no doubt be more
effectively represented by the Com
munity Chest. The chest, he thought,
to the agencies, but to the whole pro-
gram of welfare work, represented in
both the private and public agencies. "
UffOrd Praises Director.
Walter S. Ufford, secretary of the As
sociated Charities, who was chairman OF
the evening program, praised the new
Community Chest director for having
come to Washington, 'the most difficult
field as yet open and uncultivated" for
the Community Chest. Mr.. Ufford pre-
dicted that the gaps in the social
welfare program in this city, which
| had been pointed out to the club in a
recent address of DR.. Edward 7. Devlnei
dean of the Graduate School OF Amer
ican University, would be filled by the
now cooperation and improved social
welfare work of the city.
In his prediction that Washington
would raise more by the Community
| previously been able to do by them
selves, Mr. Street said that 1t has been
the almost universal experience among
| Community Chests throughout the
country that there had been an increase
| in the amounts communities contributed
| to social welfare work when the chest
was instituted.
One Phase Of Work.
Mr.. Street emphasized that the Com
munity Chest had not come here tc
displace the social agencies already ex-
isting, but that the chest was but one
phase of social work. He said 1t raised
the money, and distributed the funds
according to the needs of the organ
izations" In this distribution, he said
every effort would be made to do II
fairly" He welcomed criticism anc
constructive suggestions, declaring that
he had come as the servant" of social
welfare work in Washington.
The budget committee. which he
said had been organized, with Charles
j. Bell as chairman, was an excellent
committee, one of the first factors In
| the success of any Community Chest
This committee, he said, had the large
| responsibility of giving an adequate
basis for fair distribution. The cam
paign committee had not yet been or
| ganized, Mr.. Street said, but he pre-
dicted that 1--WE will be able to raise
any sum needed"
Among the factors for which the Com
| munity Chest will stand, Mr.. Street
| said, were an adequate number of well
trained workers, plants of the agencies
in good shape as going concerns, closer
cooperation among people who are tc
work together in the chest. and i'm
provement in the opinion Of the public
for social work, and a more unified
community.
Says Fine Start Made.
Although an excellent start was al
ready made, he said, there was need
for better public understanding and
for wider spread knowledge about the
chest. He denied rumors that the Com
munity Chest would get "rakeof" on
what it raised, declaring that the chest
itself operated on a strict budget. He
also answered some criticism, which
he said he had heard previously. by
saying emphatically that the Com
munity Chest was not designed ito run
your own agencies"
The director expressed the hope and
confidence that eventually Washington
would become model for social welfare
work, the leading city toward which
others would look for example
"a more united community should be
a result of the Community Chest" Mr.
| Street declared. Catholics, Jews anS
Protestants will WORK together in the
| campaign. Catholic, Jew and Prot
| estant, and non-Sectarian social agencies
will coordinate their eff orts for the
common good, the more readily because
with their funds received from one
source there will be no occasion for
| competition or for one agency with
| holding service"
Meeting to Be Called.
A meeting will be called shortly IL
| Washington, Mr.. Street indicated, to
, which will be invited representatives Of
every organization in Washington, So
cial, religious, fraternal, business. civic
and other organizations.
"You have excellent social work here
! in Washington" said Mr.. Street, but
it is inadequately financed" He ex-
pressed great confidence in the success
of the campaign which is being organ
| lied for next January.
Willard C. Smith, president of the
Monday Evening Club, presided.
0VN NEII EHTlIREC