Evening star., 1942-05-09
Leaders Back
Community
War Fund
Young Tells Meeting
He Will Appoint
Organization Group

200 civic and business leaders voted
last night at mass meeting at the
United States Chamber OF Com
merce auditorium to set up a COM
munity war fund in Washington at
the earliest possible moment"
The plan. already in use in sew
eral other large cities of the Nation,
will combine into one campaign the
financial drives of all charities which
base their appeal on wartime emer-
gencies, including the Community
Chest and the United Service Or
ganization The Red Cross OF it's
own accord will not participate at
present, but will continue to obtain
support through its annual roll call.
Last nights discussion was brought
to head by the adoption of a reso-
luton. presented by Edward Gra-
ham, president of the Hamilton Ma
tional Bank, declaring it the sense Of
the meeting that Washington should
organize community war fund for
l943 and requesting the president OF
the Board of Commissioners to ap-
point general committee to perfect
a permanent organization.
Young to Act Next Week.
The vote on the resolution fol-
lowed talks by the Right Rev. James
E. Freeman, Bishop of Washington;
L. P. McLachlen, president OF the
Washington Board of Trade. and
Herbert L. Willett, jr, director Of
the Community Chest.
Bishop Freeman urged the organi-
zation of such war chest for Its
economy, its wisdom, its statesman
ship and its bigness" Identifying
himself as one of the early support
ers of the Community Chest. he said
his first reaction to the new proposal
was that charity organizations now
must think in new terms.
We're just beginning to wake up"
he declared. Sometimes I wonder
if America realizes the magnitude
of the situation facing us. Emer-
gencies increase every day, and We
must safeguard the public. If we
had a body of men and women who
could underwrite these appeals. it
would be tremendous relief to u.s."
Unity for Human Needs"
The bishop said he was amazed at
the way American people have
changed since the incident at Pearl
Harbor; how they now are of one
mind and one purpose.
ITO consolidate the war interests
national, looel. yes, internationally
fascinates me-" he continued. "It's
unity for human needs.
We're in this war not for gain.
/ We covet not single acre of this
earth. We've been stirred because
we've been stung. And now 130,-
900, 1000 people have been aroused to
the need for consolidated effort.
We're beyond the Nation. We're
thinking now in terms of the world"
In opening the session, Commis-
sioner Young explained that the idea
had been brought to the Board of
Commissioners by the Board Of
Trade. He and other members, after
learning that it had been tried with
success elsewhere, he said, became
convinced of the need for such an
organization here.
Increase in Drives Seen.
Mr.. McLachlen pointed out that
the number of drives seems to be on
the increase and also that the num-
ber of drives which are failing to
make their quota we're getting more
numerous. He said there are so
many campaigns that it is impos-
sible for any person to give to all of
them; that some of them had such
loose accounting methods and man.
agement that only small propor-
ton of the funds contributed actual
ly reached the people for whom they
were intended. He cited further in
support of the united effort the
growing shortage of manpower to
carry on individual drives.
Mr.. Willett recalled that as early
as last December several cities,
among them Boston and Rochester.
had forecast the need for a united
war fund "as the only intelligent
means of meeting the many civic,
patriotic and foreign relief appeals
to which all citizens will be expected
to contribute generously"
In adopting the plan, he reported,
Boston attained a goal so per cent
larger than any previous campaign
quota and spent nearly 100000 less
on its drive than separate CAM
paigns would have cost. Norfolk,
Va, he said, using the same method,
set goal of AZ per cent higher than
last years Community Chest results
and then exceeded the new goal by
20 per cent.
National Theme Stressed.
He said an effective community
war fund requires the hearty sup
port of the entire community, the
unstinted aid of an army of volun-
teers headed by recognized leaders
in community activities, and COM
mittee to determine what organiza-
tions and appeals should be in.
cluded.
Mr.. Willett also pointed out that
publicity on the united campaign
would be national In scope. Follow
ing up this idea in discussion from
the floor that came almost simultane-
Gus with the adoption of the resolu.
ton, Joseph D. Kaufman said 1t
was his opinion the combined cam
paign would induce many new
comers to the city to contribute, as
it would have the appearance of .
national rather than a local drive.
The speakers from the floor also
included Mrs. Cora w. wilkinson.
who spoke as representative OF
the District Chapter Of the Amer
lean Red Cross.
In answer to question from Con-
rad Van Hyning, District director Of
public welfare, who asked what
would be done in the case of organ
izations which planned to put on
campaigns between now and the
time the united effort probably viii
get under way this fall, Mr.. willett
suggested that it probably would be
better to borrow money against a
future campaign such as that pro-
posed than to attempt to put on an
individual drive at preSept Aroepf