Evening star., 1944-08-19
Letters to The Star
Disputes Housing Association
Qualification for Chest

DiSPutSS AAOuSluS ASSOCldllON
Qualification for Chest
To the Editor of The Star
I am sorry that the question Of the
activities of the Washington Housing
Association, member of the Com
munity Chest, has again arisen.
In fairness to all, ask that be
given space to make the following
factual statement:
am member of the subcommittee
that prepared the report that was sub
mitted by the Southeast Council of
Citizens Associations to the Federation
of Citizens Associations
For some time prior to the May meet
ing of the Southeast Council several
associations, members of the council,
had voiced criticism and objection to
the active part that the Washington
Housing Association was taking in the
debatable question of rezoning certain
suburban property in the Southeast
section. At the May meeting the presi-
dent of the council asked the subcom-
mittee on housing to look into the
The subcommittee. consisting Of five
members, met with the following papers
before them: The last print of the de-
scriptive Directory of the Organizations
in the Community War Fund" 'Di-
gest of the Provisions of the Charter
of the Washington Housing Association"
incorporated February II, 1887, Mr..
Wyckof to the contrary notwithstand-
ing; also Proceedings of the Annual
Meeting, Washington Housing Associa-
ton, 1912, Held in the Sapphire Room,
Mayflower Hotel, December IL, 1912,
Summarized and Compiled by the
Washington Housing Association, 902
Barr Building, Washington D. c.
The committee drafted its report and
the writer was directed to submit the
report to the council and move its
adoption. The report was not SIAN
derous attack" on any one or any organ
ization. In urging the adoption of the
report. made substantially the follow
ing statement:
That the committee found that the
Community Chest was an organization
operating for efdciency's sake, through
some so or more agencies. The Chest
operates from year to year on a cash
basis, distributing what is collected each
year during the following year. Its
primary object is to be ready to give
immediate assistance in cash, provisions
or otherwise to those in dire need of
help. That it was the opinion of the
committee that the Community Chest in
its IS years of operation had success
fully and to the general satisfaction of
its contributors handled a difficult
problem.
I further pointed out that the COM
mittee thought that in view of the
provisions Of its charter, its purpose as
outlined in the Community Chest Hand
book, and the report of its annual meet
ing held December IL, 1912, the WASH
ington Housing Association was not
such an organization as should ask and
receive its support from funds collected
from some 1000 small contributors
who thought in contributing their
money that it was to 60 to help those
in immediate distress.
The charter of the Washington Hous-
ing Association states that its purpose
is to improve housing in every prac-
tical way to secure and disseminate
knowledge relating to housing, to CO.
operate with public and private agen-
cies whose work affects housing, to aid
in the enactment of legislation that
will improve housing conditions, to en-
courage the adoption of such features
of town planning as may bear upon the
welfare of the home. There is also a
provision that the association may be
supported by gifts, contributions, be-
quests, membership dues and that its
income shall be used for the payment
of expenses and salaries incident to
carrying on it's work There is not one
line in its charter that provides that It
shall do any charitable work as that
expression is generally interpreted
The last annual report of the WASH
ington Housing Association submitted to
the Community Chest shows that about
five-sevenths of its $4,000 allotment was
spent for letter writing The report did
not disclose that any day by day charity
work was done. The report seems to
indicate that its work primarily is ad-
ministrative.
The objective and the procedure of
the Washington Housing Association as
disclosed by its own report of its 1912
annual meeting clearly indicates that
it has no place in the Community Chest
organization
With their own spacious Offices in the
Barr Building, they selected the beau
tiful Sapphire Room in the Mayf1ower
Hotel in which to hold their annual
meeting.
Space does not permit extended quo
tations from the 26-page report pre-
pared and issued by the association, but
at least it is enlightening to know that
their guest of honor, Sir Ernest Simon,
was twice a member of Parliament, one
time Lord Mayor Of the city of Man.
chester and is now deputy chairman
of the Ministry of Works and Planning
He reviewed housing in the city of
Manchester from about 1900 to date.
AS to what should be done after World
War II is over, he said England prob
ably will have another 100000 houses
to build, and where they can be built
for profit that work will be left for
private enterprise and where a subsidy
is necessary that part will be left with
the city councils to build. I'VE want to
combine all our plans into one great
Nf oH,,;1
one generation, wiping out the slums