Evening star., 1947-12-31
Chest Unit 10 Study
Ways 10 Round Out
Inadequate Budget

Y
to the board of trustees by February
Is, under authorization voted yes
terday by the board.
The board took the action after
accepting the report Of its budget
committee, making ALLEGATIONS to
the chest-supported agencies for
the next year on basis of IS per
cent of the minimum amount
sought for Washington in the Chest
Federation campaign this winter.
F. Elton Rogers, chairman of the
budget committee, reported the linn
sting figure for use by the Washing
ton Chest at $1,8o6,ooo, with $4,000
set aside as budget committee re-
serve for 1948, leaving s1,746, 900 for
appropriations to agencies.
Division Announced.
The amount, he said was divided
as follows: AZ per cent to the 19
family and child welfare division
agencies; 81 per cent to the 20
agencies in the recreation or char
acter building division; II per cent
to the 10 agencies and two funds
in the health division, and 10 per
cent to the 10 agencies in the mis-
cellaneous division.
Within these divisions, careful
and detailed analysis of needs and
possible revenue expansion was
made so that the final recommended
tions before you today are not fiat
percentage cuts over all agencies, y
Mr.. Rogers report explained.
Mr.. Rogers cited what he de-
scribed "the appalling result Of the
apathy on the part of the contribut-
ing public" by a comparison of ap-
propriations made to Washington
Chest Agencies in 1916 and 1947 and
those proposed for 1946.
Chest leaders reported that new
contributions have brought the total
money obtained by the campaign to
s3,263,256.52.
This represents 1857 per cent of
the goal, which was set at $500 900,
leaving the campaign still short
1888 per cent. The leaders empha-
sized that contributions to make
up the deficit still are being sought.
Shrinkage of Dollar Cited.
I'VE have $4,000 less to use
than in 1914. although the dollar
is worth approximately sc cents as
compared with 1914. We have $97l,-
900 less to use than was approved
by our Budget Committee in a
preliminary analysis of requests in
June, 1947, and this is cut of
35,7 per cent.
And we have S215,000 III per
cent? less to use for 1948 than
we had at this time last year, for
1947"
The agencies have been informed,
according to the budget committee
chairman. that they may take ad-
vantage of the salary classification
revision of September, 1916, if they
desire, but they must not exceed
the total amount appropriated for
their used.
This means simply that drastic
reduction in numbers of people
employed is expected" he asserted
The estimated revenue of the
agencies in many cases is based
on requests made last spring, he
said, and since curtailment in funds
means reduction in personnel, reve-
nue. will be reduced, with consequent
need for alterations in the revenue
and gross budgets.
Earmaking at Issue.
A point of issue arose over the
fact that funds for the Council Of
Social Agencies, the Social Service
Exchange, the Volunteer Office and
the Chest are combined and ear
marked for 1948, with appropria-
tions for only two months.
This was in accordance with de-
cision of the Executive Committee
on December II "inasmuch as no
action was taken by the board OF
trustees of the Washington Chest
on the election Of the three agencies
to membership for 1948. in view of
the proposed merger Of the chest
and council"
Mrs. Catharine H. Norton, speak
ing on behalf of the council, de-
clared it was felt the failure To
admit the agency was mot legal
and asked that in indorsing the
appropriations the Chest board not
indorse the principle by which the
council. without consultation with
{fe ri
Chest.
The merger plan, she pointed out
was submitted to the council in
August and passed on to its dele
gate body in September. Three
months have elapsed since then
during which the agencies could
consider the matter.
The councils existence should
not be taken away from it until
it willingly surrenders its exist
ence," she declared.
Some See "Pressuring."
The action concerning the coun-
Gil is said to be viewed by some
council members as a means o1
plcSoulll lllS uCSloioll OIl VIC AtlCA 6S4
plan
Coleman Jennings declared that
the community at large" had been
informed the merger was under
consideration, and that failure Sc
far to achieve "a complete meet
ing of the minds made for indeci-
sion in the matter of voting funds
The Executive Committee recon-
mended that the council be asked
to operate for two months. in q
move which would allow further
time for action on the merger, he
explained.
Committee Faces Dilemma.
Lee D. Butler, Chest president,
who presided, added the Executive
Committee faced a dilemma" in
view of the commitment for con-
sidering the merger, and had a
strong feeling it should try to work
out solution which would be
best for the agencies.
The decision to request recon-
mendations from the Executive
Committee on how to obtain ad-
ditional funds for all agencies was
made by a 39-to-22 vote following
a baoted djeo,,scio,, of how, the ohject