Evening star., 1934-07-08
ROOSEVELT STAND
SEEN AS CHEST AID
Dodge Thinks Endorsement
Should Bring New Energy
to Campaigns.

Clarence Phelps Dodge, president OF
the Community Chest, yesterday ex-
pressed hope that President Roose-
velt's Endorsement of the 1884 Com
munity Chest drive would exert a tre-
mendous influence on the efforts of
officials of every Community Chest in
the country.
Writing to Newton D. Baker, chair
man of the 1884 Mobilization for HUI
man Needs, President Roosevelt said
Volunteer welfare services are in
dispenSable to national recovery" and
this is every whit true this year as
it was last year.
THAT statement" said Dodge, with
the Presidents offer of his fullest sup
port to the Community Chest move
ment, will certainly serve as most
heartening incentive for greater ef-
forts on the part of the volunteer
workers for the Chest in this, the
home town of the President
Recalls Baker Statement.
Dodge also called attention to Bak-
er's statement that only about half of
the unemployed have received Federal
relief, and that in most instances it
meant only approximately $24 per
month per family
While it is true" he said, that the
Government has assumed practically
the entire burden of providing mate
rial relief for the unemployed in
Washington, there still remain many
thousands of underprivileged persons
who require the help that can be OBJ
tanned only from Community Chest
organizations and for which the Gov
ernment makes no provision.
"As a matter of fact, the Commu-
nifty Chest was originally organized for
a general all-around welfare program
in which relief played only minor
part. 1t was only the exigencies
brought about by the depression that
drew the Community Chest agencies
into the role of a major relief organi-
zation and this role was curtailed as
soon as public funds we're made avail
able to help the unemployed.
10000 Ill Unaided By U. S.
"The Government, for instance,
makes no provision for the care of the
10000 or more sick persons who are
visited by the Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society every year. Uncle
Sans beneficence does not extend
to the provision of funds for the nine
institutions in the Community Chest
which house nearly 1000 children
whose parents, if alive, can pay little
or nothing toward their support
There are no Government funds for
the care of old people; for supporting
the four Boys Clubs, which are lead
ing approximately $500 underpriv-
ileged boys into better lives and bet
ter ideals of citizenship.
THE Government does not provide
for the Settlement Houses which fur
nish the only recreation obtained by
5000 to 1000 families in various sec
tions of the city, nor does it provide
for the splendid work among boys
and girls done by the Y NJ. C. A, the
Y. w. c. A., and the Boy and Girl
Scouts. There are no Government
funds for the support of the Florence
Crittenton Home, where unmarried
mothers may find a refuge and gain
an education which enables them to
keep their babies with them.
Success Is Necessary.
"These and many other forms of
welfare aid to the less fortunate are
still the charge of private philan-
thropy. Only through a successful
campaign by the Community Chest
can the organizations which are per-
forming these services be financed.
Il believe that the people of
Washington will recognize the impor-
tance of this welfare work. I be-
lieve that they will realize that what
affects one portion of the city, like a
drop of ink in a glass of water, Is
bound to affect the entire commu-
nifty. I believe and hope, that the
people of Washington will rally to the
call of the President of the United
States and will help the 4,500 volun-
teer workers who toll so earnestly
for the Community Chest to make it
a success this Fall that it may serve
as a model for other cities through
out the Nation"