Evening star., 1938-03-12
WELFARE LEADERS
WEIGH PROBLEMS
Chest and Councils Meeting
Elects Dr.. Vincent Acting
President.

TFeSIucIll.
DR.. George E. Vincent of Green
wich. Conn.,, early today was elected
honorary and acting president of Com
nunity Chests and Councils, Inc, at
its annual meeting at the Maynower
Hotel, held in conjunction with the
National Citizens Conference of the
Community Mobilization for Human
Needs, which was scheduled to ad-
tourn late today.
Joining in a big banquet at the ho-
tel last night, the delegates paid trib-
ute to the late Newton D. Baker as
a pioneer in Community Chest move
ment and celebrated the 25th ami
versary of the movement Today they
plunged into series of round-ta table
discussions looking toward the future
Consideration of the proposed mo
bllization" program on relief and
public welfare, now before Congress,
continued to run through conferences
and public addresses of the sessions.
There were continued reverberations
today OF the sharp difference of opin-
ion which broke out yesterday between
President Roosevelt and Charles P.
Taft, chairman of the Community
Mobilization for Human Needs.
Conference Reaffirms Program.
The attitude of the conference was
clearly recorded again late yesterday
when, on showing of hands, not
single vote was cast against the pro-
gram, which Mr. Taft had defended
during his speech differing with Presi-
dent Roosevelt. The pending program
had been adopted at meeting of the
National Citizens Committee of the
Community Mobilization for Human
Needs last December, and had been
laid before the Senate Committee on
Unemployment and Relief January IL
by Mr.. Taft.
No further action on this matter
was expected from the conference Off
cially. But on question from the
floor as to what might be done in the
future, in view of the Presidents at
titude, Mr.. Taft indicated that it was
Congress. and not the executive branch
of the Government, that actually ap-
propriated money for relief. Mr.. Taft
had objected to the Federal Govern
ment leaving the task of caring for
unemployables entirely to the States
and local governments. Local Chests,
however, he emphasized, would not be
called on to urge legislation on Con-
gress.
Our program" declared Mr.. Taft,
calls for an integrated plan with
local administration and Federal SUI
pervision of standards"
d. C. Problem Untouched.
While the situation on relief here
in the Nations Capital, which has
come to be source of concern and
recommended investigation, was said
not to have been laid officially before
this national gathering of welfare ex-
perts from all over the country, al
though public and social welfare lead
ers from Washington have taken an
active part. Privately some are ex-
pressing concern still about the future
OF relief here, but would not be quoted.
Elwood Street, director of public
welfare here, was honored at the ban
quet last night as the first publicity
director of the Cleveland Federation
for Charity and Philanthropy. He
was among four pioneers in the Com
munity Chest movement in Cleveland.
introduced to the banquet by Mr.. Taft.
Mr.. Street also attended all the open
sessions, and participated in forum
on the relation of Federal and local
governments in relief He explained,
however, that the situation here in
Washington was not discussed by the
group, Of which he was vice chair
man.
Herbert Willett, jr., director Of the
local Community Chest, has been a
constant attendant at the sessions, as
has Clarence Phelps Dodge, former
president of the Chest, and DR.. Anson
Phelps Stokes, canon Of Washington
Cathedral. Both OF the latter are
members OF the Citizens Committee,
which has asked the Commissioners
and Congress for a survey Of the relief
situation here, and has stressed the
necessity of more funds for the Dis
trict of Columbia needy.
Growth of Plan Traced.
Growth OF the Community Chest
movement was traced by Allen T.
Burns, executive vice president of
Community Chests g. Councils. Inc,
at the banquet last night. He re-
ported that 100000 workers and o.
100000 givers unite in these COM
munity efforts each year.
He said there are now 467 so-called |
CHEST cities, with population of 50,-
100000, comprising 68 per cent of
all the urban residents of the United
states. He paid tribute to the genius
OF the late Mr. Baker in pioneer work
OF the movement.
Tom K. Smith, chairman of the
st. Louis Social Security Commission.
favored the idea of a return of re-
sponsibllity to local communities from
the Federal Government, which, he
said, had Of necessity taken over a
large part OF the work during the de-
preston.
He called on Chest leaders to "mobil-
lie" behind the pending proposal and
to secure its adoption" But, he
explained, "the adoption of the pro-
posal in itself will be no solution to
the relief problem. In itself, this
proposal would merely mean that the
relief and welfare funds would be
administered by local officials rather
than national officials = The real
meat OF this proposal is," he said,
that 1t will insure the participation
OF laymen, the on-professional, pub
Ic-spirited men and women upon
whose support the long g-run success of
any relief program depends"
Tribute Paid to Baker.
Eloquent tribute was paid to the
memory of Mr.. Baker by his school,
mate. John Stewart Bryan, president
OF William and Mary College and
publisher Of the Richmond News
Leader.
THE source of the power of Newton