Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-27
COERCION BANNED
IN CHEST CAMPAIGN
D. C. Heads Declare There
Must Be No Element of Com
puISion in Solicitation.

The District Commissioners today
impressed upon the go or more depart
ment heads of the municipal estab-
lishment that no coercion is to be used
to obtain subscriptions from the rank
and file of the workers to the million
dollar relief fund being raised in con-
nection with the forthcoming campaign
of the Washington Community Chest.
At a special meeting DR.. Luther H.
Reichelderfer, president of the Board
Of Commissioners, made it plain that
under no circumstances must there be
any element of compulsion, either direct
or implied, in the solicitation of the
subscriptions.
May Remove Names.
If any employee has given under the
impression that it was mandatory, that
employe must have an opportunity to
remove his name from the list Of con-
tributors, DR.. Reichelderfer emphasized
This mornings meeting followed a
| statement by j. B. Gordon, sanitary
contributors would be marked men,"
subject to Official displeasure," an ex-
preston that brought, on Wednesday,
threat of Senate investigation of the
Embarrassing movement by Senator
Couzens. Republican, of Michigan.
DR.. Reichelderfer dwelt at some
length on the 100 per cent" feature Of
the drive and stated quite emphatically
| that he knew it was impossible to OBJ
tain 100 per cent subscription from
| large departments on a strictly Volun-
tary basis He also instructed the de-
| partment heads that under no circum-
stances would the Commissioners toler-
ate the raising of an artificial 100 per
cent subscription by the levying of an
/ extra toll on some Of the employees to
make up for shortcomings of some Of
the others.
Rights Will Be Respected.
| He said that the Commissioners would
see to it that the rights of all employees
were respected, and that they would be
subject to no disciplinary action of any
kind should they decide not to subscribe.
Continuing, the speaker said that
when an employe told collector that
| for personal reasons he was unable to
subscribe, the collector must take his
word for it, and not pry into his per-
sonal affairs and try to work out the
employees budget in such a way that
the subscription can be met.
DR.. Reichelderfer then told the de-
partment heads, however, that he and
| his fellow Commissioners were still in
| favor of the drive conducted on the
proper voluntary basis and that they
| hoped it would be successful. He said
! that Government employees in Wash
| ington are in a favorable position eco
nolnically in comparison with many in
| dustrial groups of which he had knoWl-
| edge.
Cites $8,O0O,0OO Savings Fund.
| He pointed out that banks are soon
to distribute some 100000 in Christ
mas savings accounts, that Government
employees are not being laid eff that
their pay is not being reduced and that
there is little likelihood that any such
action will be taken. In view OF all
this he said that the collectors for the
fund would have a story to tell the
employees which of itself would form a
proper and legitimate appeal.
He again made clear that no copy
of the subscription lists will be sent tc
the Personnel Classification Board OF
any other agency having to do with
the employees economic future.
District Auditor Daniel j. Donovan
who also spoke, said that the copy
of the list which would be sent to the
Community Chest would contain ne
information regarding the salary of the
various workers, but would contain only
the name of the department and the
names of the workers, SO that card:
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