Evening star., 1942-04-01
Red Cross Drive
Failure Laid 10
Seven Groups
General Business
Only Unit to Pass
Campaign Goal


paign officials, attempting today to
fix the blame for lag of more than
one-third in the local quota as noted
yesterday by President Roosevelt,
pointed out that seven of the eight
groups Of contributors failed to
reach their quotas, some by 50 per
cent. Only one group, General
Business, exceeded its quota.
The District to date has raised
1882 ,35408 Of its s750, 900 quota. Re
ports as Of yesterday show the
Federal employees division still must
raise s102 1859 ST out of a goal of
$3.50, 900, while the remaining $685.
276.25 must come from other sources
which were given quotas approx
imately double that Of the Govern
ment Offices.
The President pointed to the slow
ness of the local drive at a press
conference at which he announced
that the national goal of s65 900 900
had been oversubscribed.
He said the District should paw
particular attention to its deficiency
and added: Washington papers
please copy"
Several Divisions Behind.
In commenting on the matter to.
DAY, Earl Nash, vice-chairman of
the local drive, speaking in the alb
sence of the chairman, said that
many factors had combined to bring
about the lag in contributions. He
added that the fault should not be
placed on Government employees ex-
clusively and cited other segments
Of the population as professional
groups and the wealthy class includ-
ed in the special gifts division as also
being at fault.
In defense of the Federal ofices,
he recalled that they are much
buster now than they had ever been
before and had neither the time nor
the place to carry on a campaign
Of this nature as they have in the
past.
Moreover, he said, the hit-or-miss
solicitation methods which have been
used because of this lack of time
have had little effect in loosening the
purse strings of new workers who
have come to the city recently and
who have little interest in Red Cross
activities.
Pointing out that the present
campaign will take the place of the
annual roll call, Mr.. Nash said the
traditional 81 Red Gross membership
! has done much to reduce the size OF
! IN he
Many people, he added, do not re-
aiize that all Of the city's residents
do not and cannot give and that
the average gift therefore, must be
considerably larger than 81 in order
to reach the goal.
Professional Group Behind.
Mr.. Nash reported that the pro
fessional group in particular has
been a sore spot" in the present
campaign. Recalling one instance
OF this, he said a flying squadron
of woman campaign workers had
been organized to solicit an eight
story building occupied principally
by doctors and that gifts obtained
by a visit to each Office in the build
ing totaled only 81.
Present lawyers as a group also
have been lax. he said. Up to yes
terday according to his report, he
added, they had given only SIS. But
he pointed out that some other
groups were just as bad and named
specifically the special gifts divi-
sion, which takes in the wealthy
class.
Mr.. Nash said the campaign must
be continued until. the goal is
reached because the local chapter
must operate during the next year
on Is per cent of the total it raises.
Included in its budget, he reminded,
is the expense of its expanding de-
fense services.
Quota allotments still to be OBJ
tanned. according to the report, in
clude 40 per cent, or S102. .369.67, for
the Government group; 40 per cent,
or $22 ,057 95, for the financial group,
which includes banks, brokerage
houses, insurance companies and
loan firms; 8 per cent, or $2807.91,
for the utilities group; 81 per cent,
or s12,33003, for the professional
group; 40 per cent, or $39, ,924.67, for
the apartments and mail group. in
which are listed gifts from apart
ment residents and gifts sent in by
mail; So per cent, or $78,66l 81. from
the special gifts group. and 81 per
cent, or $43,21o.29, from solicitation
booths.
One Group Exceeds Share.
Only the general business group
has exceeded its quota. Its total to
date is 5,55798 an excess Of $1o,-
55798 over its goal.
Quotas and receipts to date follow: