Evening star., 1932-06-28
PROOF OF. CHARITY
AID REFUSAL ASKED
Dates and Names Sought to
Give Group Probing Re-
lief Work Here.

Facts in substantiation of charges
that Washington charitable agencies
failed to aid several highly educated
women in need were requested today
by Fred A. Emery, past president of
the Society of Natives, in answer to a
letter to the editor" recently published
in The Star
In letter to The Star Mr. Emery
asks that the author of the original let
ter send him dates and names in con-
nection with the cases mentioned in or
der that they may be presented to a
subcommittee of the Committee on Pub
lie Health of the Washington Board of
Trade. which is now investigating the
efficiency of local relief work. Mr..
Emery is chairman of the subcommittee.
He requests that he be furnished the
names of applicants for aid, the names
of the agencies applied to, approximate
dates when aid was sought, and who
turned down the applications and why.
Subcommittee Created.
He states:
TT is due the public, including those
now in real distress, on the one side,
and the relief agencies on the other
side, that precise information about
what happens be made available to
those interested in the subject in an
impartial way. I may add that the
Board of Trades Committee on Public
Health has just created subcommittee
to inquire into the subject with a view
of determining whether the relief work
to which the people of Washington are
financially committed is functioning
satisfactorily with the very highest pos
sible real service to those for whom the
funds are subscribed, namely, those who
are deserving and worthy of aid from
the community.
IF any Evening Star readers have
any suggestions or authoritative in
formation that will be of help, in view
of the indicated greater demands for
relief during the coming Winter and
possible limitation of the maximum
amount that may be available, will
be glad to receive it to present and
consider with the committee.
There are 65 separate services func-
tioning in the Community Chest set-up.
with a budgeting of more than ST.
000,000 subscribed by the people of
Washington, and there are other sub
stantially organized relief agencies for
which funds are raised, outside of the
Community Chest, each having its SAL
aried staffs for administration of the
volunteered funds. What the commit
tee would like to know, or speaking for
myself as one of its members, is: How
is this functioning from the viewpoint
OF the public; from those who come
into contact, as applicants or other
wise, with all this organized relief.
Believe in Organized Relief.
I'VE have faith in Washington and
always will have. We have faith in or
ganized relief in Washington and al
ways will have. But the public is en-
titled to accurate knowledge as to what
goes on with respect to the funds 1t
raises and to know whether relief is
functioning satisfactorily from the
standpoint of the public, including those
who are in actual need as well as from
the standpoint of those VINO are sal
aried for relief administration. The re-
lief organizations have done splendid
work in the past, including those pa
triotic high-minded citizens who have
volunteered their services and their
time without compensation, but every
large business enterprise IN every pro-
gressive city welcomes constructive
criticism and suggestions.
ANY ideas for improving the service
to those in distress, for effecting more
economic management OF relief as
whole-constructive suggestions and
criticisms, not mere idle goSsip-will be
welcomed by me personally for presen-
tation to the committee. The purpose
is to render. through recommendations,
such impartial. constructive help as the
information obtained from the public
may make possible in the interest OF
organized relief in Washington, vote
less city whose citizens hav e never
Shirked their responsibilities"