Evening star., 1947-07-19
And Now for q Fresh Start

Some of the controversial issues raised
in the citizens investigation OF the COM
munity Chest will resolve themselves, given
time and the good will that should accom-
pany the worthy enterprise of Chest re-
building.
The pending reorganization of the Wash
ington Community Chest, now under study,
will doubtless mean that some OF the
functions previously discharged by the
Council of Social Agencies will be absorbed
by the Chest itself. 1t may be taken as
a. foregone conclusion that the council WILL
not occupy the same status as in the past
and that it's direction will be in otner
hands. Reorganization would also mean
a smaller board of trustees with greater
attention paid to representation OF various
groups on the board, with stricter control
of activities involving the name of the
Community Chest.
The number and character of agencies
to be included in the Community Chest will
remain vexing question. 1t has always
been so We must remember that the
Community Chest is an aggregation OF
everybodys pet charities" Each agency
in the Chest has its ardent supporters
The supporters of one agency may be in
complete disagreement with the supporters
of another as to the value of an under
taking But the fundamental idea behind
the Chest was that such disagreements are
of far less Importance than the unity of
single, common appeal. No really effective
method of obtaining unanimous support
of every Chest agency has ever been
devised.
We may have become too liberal in the
admittancc of agencies to the Chest. We
may have overreached ourselves in COUNT
ing on public support for everything in
cluded in the Chest. A redefnition OF
standards for Chest membership may bring
us closer, than in the past, to establishing
more popularly acceptable criteria. Ger
tainly the majority report on this subject
by the Citizens Investigating Committee
Is more wise, more farseeing and more
statesmanlike in every way than the
minority report.
The minority report signed by six repre-
sentatives of the Federation of Business
Mems Associations and the Federation OF
Citizens Associations, recommends drop
ping twenty-five agencies from the Chest.
Many people would agree that some OF
these agencies lack much popular support.
The Star could name few that never
would be missed. But paradoxically enough
the minority report bases its recommended
ton that they be dropped on desire to
strengthen the Chest whereas the effect
of the recommendation would be to destroy
the Chest What do the six signers of the
minority report believe the financial sup
porters of the twenty-five agencies would
do if the agencies were dropped from the
Chest? The answer is that they would
proceed to raise for these twenty-five
agencies more money than the agencies
now receive through Chest membership.
That is inherent in the sources of their
support. The Community Chest would
stand to lose more money than it has dis
tributed to these agencies in the past.
Furthermore, in place of one appeal we
should have one plus twenty-five and the
Chest itself would wither on the vine.
It is the future, not the past, of the
Washington Community Chest that con-
Germs us now It would be a diSgraceful
reflection on this city if the Community
Chest were permitted to suffer any perma-
nent injury because one group of citizens
is determined to have it's way. The good
people of Washington are determined, on
the other hand, to strengthen the Chest,
to forget mistakes but prevent their
repetition, to go forward together as they
have in the past in helping our neighbors
who need help. All of it put together is
little enough as it is.
Eroe Po+urnnd