Evening star., 1947-10-21
DC. llergYmen
Plan for Support
Of Chest Drive
Group to Support
Drive in Sermons,
Distribute Literature

gregations in the Community Chest
Federation Campaign.
A large number of the church
leaders-who represent the Jewish
Catholic and Protestant faiths
yesterday agreed to aid the drive in
every possible way. They pledged
their active support at a luncheon
sponsored by the Committee on Re-
ligious Life in the Nations Capital
Other clergymen also are expected
to lend their aid.
This event preceded a Chest
agency rally in the Hotel Statler
last night, which was the first joint
meeting of volunteer members of the
boards of directors and the stats of
all agencies supported by the cam
paign. More than 1000 agency
representatives and campaign lead
ers heard several speakers tell of the
special Importance of the drive this
year.
At the clergymens luncheon,
Msgr. John j. Russell, rector of St
Patrick's Church, told the group
helping the drive that to relieve
human suffering lis our bounden
duty-to relinquish it would be to
relinquish our claim to spiritual
leadership"
"On Common Ground"
1--WE differ on many points of doc
trine, but here we stand four square
on common ground" he declared.
ours is a double duty-to those
who have means and to those who
are in need. Our charity must
spread to those who have means.
They must hear our pleas, feel our
influence and be moved by our ex-
ample to the conviction that they
will never spend money better
That I'VE are rich only through
what we give. and poor only through
what we keep to ourselves" he said,
must be brought home
Edward H. Foley, jr., campaign
chairman, declared. The thing 1
like about the Community Chest
organization in the National Capital
Area is that it is the most demo-
cratic agency that I know of. 1t is
non political, non sectarian and
non-discriminatory.
TT deals with the human needs
of people Of all nations, creeds and
beliefs"
Asks S4,500, 900 Be Raised.
He urged the group to turn its
efforts toward raising not only the
$3,900,000 goal, but the $4,000 900
which the Budget Committee has
reported necessary to provide fully
for operation of the 125 agencies
benefiting from the drive.
Edward H. Keyes, executive direc-
tor of the Community Chest Fedora
ton, reminded the clergymen that
those who give to the agencies it
supports are Jewish, Catholic and
Protestant, and white and colored
You represent them, and in your
churches they worship" he said. "a
Community Chest is, federation OF
agencies with varying constituencies
Every community enterprise will
need to have the support of the
clergy in that community"
The clergymen agreed to support
the drive in their sermons on Red
Feather Sunday by distributing
Chest literature, by urging liberal
contributions by their parishioners
or in church calendars and an
nouncements from the pulpits.
The Rev. c. Leslie Glenn, pastor
of st. Johns Episcopal Church, La
fayette square, and chairman of
the committee, presided.
Hospital Service Needs Cited.
At last nights rally, William r.
Castle, former Assistant Secretary
OF State and president of the Hos
pital Council of the National Cap
ital Area, emphasized, in his Re
port on Health Services" the abso-
lutte necessity of the success of the
campaign in connection with main
tenance of hospital service.
There are not enough hospitals
in this area, as it is, to take in all
those who need disqualification" he
said. There are literally not enough
beds, and what will this place be
like if one or more of the hospitals
have to close? Only dire necessity
would cause such tragedy but that
dire necessity will be very close at
hand if this campaign does not go
over in full. And even so we shall
be in serious straits because OF rising
costs"
Mr.. Castle explained that the
Chest pays the hospitals s5 day for
in-patients and hopes to bring up
the amount to $3.50 If the present
drive is successful, he added, it will
pay next year $3.50 a day before the
end of the year, but the average
cost to the hospital is now $13
day for adult in-patients and still
is rising.
For 1947, with the figures based
on the first eight months, he de-
clared the Chest will pay hospitals
for adult impatient days number
ing 1916, the sum of $37S.580. but
the actual cost to the hospitals at
the average rate of s13 day will
be 1894, ,3OS.
I'm other words" Mr.. Castle re-
marked. "a loss to the hospitals of
s605, ,728 at the present rate of S."
Daniel w. Bell, president of the
Community Chest Federation, ex-
planned how this years goal of
s3,900,000 was decided upon. He
said it reflects the majority view
of the Federation's Executive Com
mittee because it represents a
"reachable goal"
Mrs. Adolphus Station, president
Of the Girl Scout Council Of Wash
ington and Montgomery County,
Md. discussed the importance of
the Chest campaign, particularly
in connection with preventing juve-
nile delinquency.
Wide Age Range Covered.
"The Community Chest agencies
offer meeting space and leadership
to all-from preschool babies in the
settlement houses to young adult
youth hostelers," she said. THE
Boys Clubs and Boy Scouts. Camp
Fire Girls and Girl Scouts, are
building character at the most i'm
pressionable ages. Mothers Clubs