Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
GREEN ASKSlAbOR
TO ASSIST RELIEF
Urges Cooperation of Work.
ers With Clifford Welfare
Mobilization.

John Poole, president Of the Wash
ington Community Chest, yesterday
made public statement signed by Will
liam Green, president Of the American
Federation of Labor, in which he urged
the whole hearted cooperation Of labor
groups in the Nationwide welfare and
relief mobilization through which it is
planned to enable cities to meet their
own needs this Winter. The state
ment follows:
In answering the invitation of the
President to serve on the National Ad
visory Committee on relief with Mr..
Walter S. clifford, said that esteemed
it both q privilege and a public duty
to serve as requested. had already
offered my support to the welfare and
relief mobilization, the movement init
ated in June by the Association OF
Community Chests, at the request OF
the Presidents Emergency Committee
for Employment, to help cities Of $4,000
or more to meet their own problems
this Fall and Winter by combining local
resources, both public and private.
Praises Chests Start.
"It seems to me that. in laying plans
for concerted efforts this Fall in 376
cities. the Association Of Community
Chests has made a good start on one
OF the most important elements in the
general program which Mr.. Clifford
and his committee have undertaken. I
believe in the principle of local re-
Sponsibility in emergencies such as the
one now confronting us. The local COM
munity knows best its own needs and
is able to rally and apply its own re-
sources with effectiveness and economy.
The Chests have demonstrated strik-
ingly their capacity for stimulating pri-
yate resources. AS business conditions
have grown worse their aggregate totals
have grown larger.
I'm the welfare and relief mobili-
zation they are showing equal ability
in aiding local public officials in de-
termining to what extent local public
funds are needed to supplement money
privately raised. Knowing the local
relief needs and those vitality necessary
welfare services which contribute so
much to the enrichment of American
life, the Chest group in any community
is in a strategic position to indicate
how far private funds will go and at
what point the burden must be as
sumed by municipal or county treas
urieS.
81 believe that the Presidents Emer-
gency Committee was wise in asking
the Association Of Community Chests to
make its expert services available to
cities without chests as well as to
those having this form Of central
financing Without in any way urging
the establishment Of a Chest where a
community is not ready for it. this
associations experience in stimulating
community forces will be Of ineStimable
help in setting up temporary financing
bodies.
Labor Showing Excellent.
Labor has made an excellent show
ing in Community Chest totals
throughout the country. Analysis of re-
turns show that % per cent Of the
grand total is received in subscriptions
Of less than SOS. This classification, OF
course, is largely made up of gifts from
employed people Another significant
fact Is that, as the number of sub
scribers from this group has decreased.
their grand total in dollars has in
creased. showing that the employed
man and woman have been looking
out for their less fortunate fellow
workers.
II am concerned with certain funda-
mental changes in the economic and
industrial system which 1 feel would
tend to prevent recurrence of the
present deplorable state of affairs. For
these changes shall continue to argue.
but the stern necessity for relief must
be given instant attention. We can
not content ourselves with advocating
methods Of fire prevention while the
fire is raging Similarly. while giving
consideration to permanently corrective
olQn dn Ay-erut n1YHn
in our power to ameliorate present hu-
man suffering.
IT rejoice that the necessity for q
widespread Winter relief program Is
being recognized early, and I urge labor
groups everywhere to cooperate whole
heartedly in the welfare and relief
mobilization, as well as in other meas
ures which may be undertaken by Mr.
Clifford and his committee"