Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-24
DISTRICT WORKERS
nD FAIL TO GIVE
BY GORDON
pgsseer Says Those Who
Refuse to Sign Lists viii
M Be marked Men,"
kPOINTS OUT MANY WAYS
K OF SHOWING IRRITATION
County Charities to Share in Funds
Donated to Washington
Chest.

Sanitary Engineer ]. B. Gordon said
today he had told his employees who re-
fused to sign the payroll lists used in
soliciting subscriptions for the Com
munity Chest that while Officially" the
contribution was to be voluntary, "un-
officially" it was quite evident that
those who did not contribute would be
marked men" in Government circles.
He said he pointed out to them many
ways in which official displeasure could
be made known without the employe
ever having chance to prove that the
reason for the disciplinary acts was the
employees failure to subscribe. Among
them, he said, were loss of annual leave,
1ay-offs, reduced efficiency ratings and
refusal of appeals for step-ups and re-
classif1cations.
Cites Makeup Of System.
when I saw the makeup of the
present system of collection" said Mr..
Gordon, "I was quite sure that. how
ever voluntary the system might be
oficially, the wise employe would con-
tribute to avoid what might happen
later. We are to make up three pay
rolls. was told that one copy would
be sent to the Personnel Classification
Board and one would be kept by the
District Personnel Board. Obviously,
in the future whenever one of these
lists showed that 80 men in an Office
had contributed and ] had not, it
would be very hard for the one who
had not to get any favors.
This collection is being made as no
other that have ever had anything to
do with. Our instructions come from
the President through the Civil Service
Commission. This makes me believe
that the system intended to be used in
the District government is the same as
that which has been used in industrial
establishments in the past Community
Chest drives, where the subscriptions
have not been voluntary.
20 Per Cent Fail TO Sign.
about 20 of my men did not sign
when the list was taken around.
called each of them in and told them
what have just stated. Most Of them
then signed. but some Of them still re-
fused. One of the men who refused
today asked me for two days leave. He
got the leave"
Opposition to the principle Of having
any school officer, whose duties include
the rating of teachers efficiency, APP
peal to those teachers for funds for I'M
employment relief, was voiced today by
Rev. F. I. A. Bennett, member of the
Board of Education.
Dr. Bennett questioned, he said, the
pFopriety of DR.. Frank w. Ballou, SUI
perintendent of schools, in calling the
meeting this afternoon of supervisory
and administrative officers to formulate
the plan under which the school system
personnel will contribute three days
pay for unemployment.
''This business should be entirely vol
unfairly" Dr. Bennett said. When q
teacher is asked by her supervisor TO
give three days pay-or any amount
for that matter-she is going to hesitate
a long while before she would decline
the aid, no matter what personal finar-
cial emergency might be confronting
her.
Four welfare agencies in nearby COM
munities will be designated to receive
the contributions Of Government work.
ers residing in those sections who par
ticipate In the movement here to raise
81 900, 900 as a part of the 50 sol 900
campaign of the Washington Commu-
nifty Chest.
They will be, respectively the Airing
ton County Board of Public Welfare,
Fairfax County Board Of Public Welfare,
United Charities of Alexandria and the
Social Service League OF Montgomery
County.
This plan was announced today by
Thomas T. Campbell, president Of the
Civil Service Commission, who Is head
Of the Government committee directing
the fund raising, after a survey of the
neighboring territory where contact was
made with the officials. While the Ex-
eclltive Committee of the General Com
mittee must give its approval, this was
expected to be forthcoming at a meet
ing in Mr.. Campbell's Office this after
noon.
Prince George Asks Share.
With this set-up, there remains only
Prince Georges County, where arrange
ments for disbursing the money must
be made.
Several community groups there have
asked that they share in the funds to
the extent of gifts by their own resi-
dents, but Mr. Campbell says it is
hoped that a central clearing house
may be designated, as In the other To-
calities. For that reason the views of
the Board of County Commissioners
have been solicited. In the end, it
may be necessary to make specific
distribution, 1t was said.
In regard to the Virginia and Mont
gomery County agencies, Mr.. Campbell
said the sentiment in those sections
was favorable to the four groups
named. In Arlington County, he said,
1t had been suggested the Boy Scouts
might be made particular designees but
he thought they would have to get their
funds through the central agency.
Whether the subscription OF the
suburbaniteS will automatically 60 to
their homes, as was urged at a meeting
here last week by their spokesman, still
must be determined.
Under the present plan, the money
would be diverted from the Washing
ton Community Chest only at the
Specific request of the donor, but dele
gates from the other communities
wanted this procedure reversed, saying
that in many instances givers might
overlook the necessity for asking the
diversion.
100 Per Cent Donated.
The frst large Government agency
to report in the campaign, the Civi
Service Commission, has subscribed
more than 100 per cent to the fund, Il
was announced last night by Mis-:
Jessie Dell, a member of the commits
sion, who is divisional chairman there
Ninety-four per cent of the commits
sion employees are contributing anC
their total gift amounted to more thar
$1,000, which Is more than woult
have been obtained had every one o
the 400 employees in the commission
given just the straight three days pay
An appeal in behalf Of the fund viii
be made by radio over Station WMAI
At $50 o'clock Friday night; tn,
speaker will be Luther @. Steward
president of the National Federation
| of Federal Employees.
EMPLOYEES of the once Of Publ,
Buildings and Public Parks, who failet
20 contribute three days pay to aid II
alleviating distress during the depreS