Evening star., 1933-11-28
Can We Afford Failure?

There has been no attempt 10 eNaCe
the obvious fact that the Community
Chest campaign this year is threatened
by failure
The attempt has been to make the
campaign succeed in spite of the handi-
caps. These were manifest and were
anticipated before the campaign started.
If the campaign fails it will not be
because of the handicaps. 1t is possible
to surmount them. 1t will be because
of a failure on the part of large part
Of the community to appreciate the
necessity of supporting the Chest CAM
paign in spite of the difficulties.
A large part of the Washington COM
munity is represented by those who
work for the Government. They are,
as matter of fact, the predominant
element Of the community This city
is their own. Its community under
takings and its community problems
are theirs more so, perhaps, than any
body elses.
In this part of the community popu
lation there have been changes this
year over last. Many new men and
women have come here with the
change in administrations. There is a
new leadership in the Government de-
partments, and the tremendous pres
sure of important national affairs has
demanded most of its attention and
most of its effort The Government
personnel in the permanent as well as
in the new. emergency agencies. has
been beset by the personal and indi-
vidual problems of making both ends
meet on reduced salaries and Of facing
the uncertainty and insecurity that
are everywhere so prevalent.
Such things were taken into account
when the Chest leaders appraised the
support they might count on from the
Government workers this year. The
quotas were everywhere reduced in rec
ognition of the reductions in salary and
other difficulties If every man and
woman would give what he could, these
NOdlN pS OfSiNOANs AA.'
year some 28,82O persons in the Govern
ment establishments have contributed
about S233,972. Last year, at the same
stage of the campaign, there had been
some 34,217 contributions from those
in the Government service totaling
about S320,703. For one reason or an
other, great many WashingtonianS in
the Government service have not chosen
thus far to do what it had been ex-
peoed they would do, while others have
done even more. Because OF the large
number of WashingtonianS who are in
the Government service, this failure has
been one of the contributory causes of
the lack Of progress In the campaign.
Such fact can be pointed out with
out presumptuous criticism. Its general
recognition by Government workers,
who have always been regarded as the
most loyal supporters of their COM
munity's enterprises, should bring re-
newed effort. For without the Govern
ment workers support, the Chest will
fail. If it fails. the continued existence
of its member agencies is placed in
jeopardy. If these go out of existence,
or if their functions are severely cur
tailed. some substitute must be found.
But what that substitute will be, nobody
yet knows.
The President and the men and wom-
en- who have taken a leading part in
the national movement to raise the
money necessary for support of such
agencies as those represented in the
Community Chest have stressed the i'm
portance of such effort time and again.
1t is unnecessary to emphasize it here
again. If there is general failure to
grasp the significance of doing ones
part-no matter how small that part
may be-our loss as a representative
American community will have been
great indeed.