Evening star., 1947-07-27
The Community Chest Agencies
Since It's Founding Is Groups Have Been Added While
Equal Number Were Withdrawn
By John w. Thompson, Jr.

The critical and conflicting findings of the
Citizens Chest Survey Committee now under
study by Chest leaders suggest the dropping
of many agencies now receiving Chest funds.
This makes important some information on
how the agencies got into the Chest originally
or during the 18 years that have elapsed since
the Chest was founded
The Chest was organized in 1929 with 56
member agencies Since that time, Is other
agencies have been added. The same num-
ber either have been dropped or have with
drawn.
Thus, with the exception of four "war
babies" taken over from the now defunct
Community War Fund the Chest is no larger
today as far as the number of agencies is
concerned than when it started out.
1t is interesting that Of the Is agencies
recommended for immediate elimination from
Chest membership in one minority report
three are original members of the Chest and
three are war fund absorptions. OF seven
others recommended for discontinuance after
one year, four are original members.
Why the Chest Was Formed.
Historically the original formation of the
Chest was predicated not upon special stand
ards OF admission but upon consolidating into
d SLlSlc appeal tllc SOllClIdtlOL Ol 1ulluS 1oi
existing social and welfare agencies which
up to that time were approaching the public
separately.
Presumably, therefore, the dropping Of
agencies from the Chest simply would reopen
the field of individual solicitation by such
agencies with the attendant waste of multiple
campaign overhead. The presumption is
equally valid that money donated by sup
Lo i,
Chest. That this could run into real money
is shown by the fact that the IS agencies
suggested for immediate discard now spend
$356,539.
Thus the question resolves into whether the
principle of unified appeal is to predominate
in the general field of private welfare; or
whether it is an outgrown and now useless
concept that must give way to disintegration
into many smaller cliques existing independ-
emily of one another. AS it Is, campaign goals
nave not been met in times far less controver-
sial than these In fact, since 1929, the goal has
been met or exceeded only four times. These
were the years 1881, 1912, 1945 and 1916.
History of Chest Membership.
Here is the history of the composition of the
Chest as to member agencies:
Between 1929 and 1884, the following founded
the Chest: American Legion Welfare Depart
ment,. Association for Prevention of Tuber-
culosis, Barney Neghborhood House, Boy
Scouts of America, Boys Club of Washington,
Bureau of Rehabilitation, Catholic Charities
Child Welfare Society, Children's Country
Home, Children's Protective Association, Christ
Child Fresh Air Farm, Christ Child Settle
ment House, Citizens Relief Society, Columbia
Polytechnic Institute for the Blind Council of
Social Agencies, District of Columbia Congress
of Parent-teachers Associations, Disable Amer
ican Veterans;
Episcopal City Missions, Episcopal Home for
Children, Family Service Association (orgin
ally Associated Charities, Florence Critten-
den Home, Friendship House Association,