Evening star., 1939-01-31
Exchange Use
Urged TO Save
Charity Funds
DR.. Darby Issues
Warning Against
Danger Of Waste

Warming against the danger OF
wasting money in philanthropy
through contributions to the wrong
families, the Rev. DR.. w. l.. Darby,
secretary of the Washington Fed
Grafton of Churches, today recon-
mended more widespread use of the
Social Service Exchange, which
keeps a list of 5000 families which
have been afforded help by some
agency in the past.
His proposal was presented to So
cial workers and church group
members gathered in the First An
nual Church and Social Work In
! stitute under auspices of the depart
rment of social welfare of the fed
Grafton at Foundry NJ E. Church.
Help has been given in the past,
where it should not have been
given," warned DR.. Darby. Some
thousands of dolarls could have been
saved if the facilities of the Social
Service Exchange had been resorted
to by church groups before they
spent their funds in what they
thought were worthy directions"
DR.. Darby explained that the rec
ords of the exchange are "confiden-
tial," but are available to organized
charities and church groups.
Mrs. Roberts Explains.
The subject of the exchange first
was brought before the distin-
guished gathering by Mrs. w. A..
Roberts, executive secretary of the
Council of Social Agencies, in re-
sponse to a question by Canon An
son Phelps Stokes of Washington
Cathedral who suggested she eX-
plain its operation.
Mrs. Roberts said the exchange
had records of about 5000 families
which had been helped at one time
or another by some agency here in
Washington. She recommended that
church organizations desiring to
help some family get in touch with
the exchange files, to find out what
other agencies know about the fam
lilies in question and what they are
willing to do" The files of the eX-
change, she said, were not open to
individuals as such.
= She pointed out that the Prot
estant churches have real stake
in the Council of Social Agencies, as
there are eight Protestant bodies
belonging to the council, seven
Catholic and five Jewish organiza-
tions.
She presented number of charts
depicting the welfare picture here
in Washington to show. she said,
that the trend of relief is toward
public unsupported agencies.
Full Time Chaplain Urged.
ElWood Street, director of the
Board of Public Welfare, suggested
that the Protestants of the city sup
ply for the District penal institutions
a full time chaplain. Already, he
said, the Catholics have full time
chaplain there.
Mr.. Street explained the duties
and functions of the Board OF Public
Welfare, but carefully avoided any
discussion of controversial nature.
He urged more money for the board
and its work.
! Herbert L. Willett, director of the
Community Chest, explained the
place of the Chest in the community,
as he discussed the subject The
Community Financing Its Private
Welfare Program
He appealed to the institute TO
study the needs of the community,
enlist interest of friends, in the
cause, and become an active worker.
The Community Chest movement
had grown. he said, until today 467
communities in this country and
Canada had adopted it.
Institute Closes Tonight.
4 Further phases of social welfare
work were discussed at the lunch
con, and afternoon meetings, and
the institute is scheduled to close
t tonight.
! Secretary of Labor Frances Per-
kins will deliver the principal ad-
dress tonight following a discus
sion of church and agency rela-
tionships.
, Luncheon speakers include MISS
Frances Dysinger of the Washington
Lutheran Inner Mission Society;
Mrs. Margaret Ford, Travellers Aid
Society. The afternoon session was
to be addressed by the Rev. F.
Bland Tucker of st. Johns Episco-
pal Church, Georgetown; the Rev.
. j. Hillman Hollister, Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church, and the Rev.
John L. Nixon, director of the De-
partment of Social Welfare, Wash
ington Federation of Churches.