Evening star., 1947-07-18

fee ot the Washington Commun-
ry chest, made public late yes
terdny by Committee Chairman
william E. Leahy:
THE COMMUNITY CHEST.
The subcommittee surveying the
Chest. the Council of Social Agen-
ries and their inter -relational activi-
Ties, reported the necessity for a
reorganization of the Community
CHEST -. A better level of public
relations should be reached by the
Chest to avoid misunderstanding
and possible resulting criticism.
Contributors are solicited for funds
for the accomplishment of definite
purposes. They should not be left
without knowledge whether their
contributions are devoted to the
ends and purposes for which they
were solicited.
1t was also the recommendation
of this subcommittee, again ap-
proved by the full committee, that
the Chest should reorganize itself
with a strong and devoted board
of trustees, representative of the
community as a whole and so in
terested in the responsibilities of the
public Office to which each Is elected
or appointed that each can and will
give to the Chest the time and di-
rective advice sufficient to guaran-
tee an efficient, constructive and
economical administration of Its
affairs. It recommended a closer
and more watchful supervision over
the selected recipients of Chest aid
and the expenditure of Chest funds,
in order that each dollar contributed
might produce the most good for the
dollar spent e.
The subcommittee further re-
ported that the Chest should be
more alert in its general supervl-
sion and control of its own actlvl-
ties as they have merged in the close
relationship which heretofore has
existed between the Council OF So
cial Agencies and the Community
Chest. It believed that perhaps toe
great reliance had been placed by
the Chest upon the council in the
direction of strictly Chest activities
or those in which direction and
control should be retained by the
Chest
A particular recommendation OF
the subcommittee, which was ap-
proved and adopted by the full COM
mittee, pointed to the representa-
ton upon the board OF the Chest
of the paid worker or workers within
the agencies which are recipients OF
Chest funds. Attendance at board
meetings undoubtedly has been dill
ficult by many voluntary members
there. On the other hand, the inter-
est Of the paid worker in the work
for which he has been engaged and
for which his particular agency
exists, prompts natural urge for at
tendance and his job gives him the
opportunity to be present. In the
opinion of both the subcommittee
and full committee, the result in the
past may have been that a pre-
ponderant opinion has come out OF
board meetings, shaped by the ma
iority attendance and participation
of paid workers, which may not have
been entirely unselfish, disinterested,
and so completely disassociated from
the agency which the paid workers
may represent as not to be colorado.
It is the belief, therefore. OF both the
subcommittee and the full commits
tee, that, while the board of the
Chest will approach its problems
with such advice as the board can
obtain from those most informed
upon the problems confronting the
board, its deliberations and determi-
nations should be free from any
color of control by vote of paid
workers of the various agencies
which exist in large part through
the contributive support OF the
Chest itself. ."
The other two subcommittee into
which the remainder of the full
committee resolved itself had for
their objective a report and recon-
mendation to the full committee
upon a general survey made OF the
agencies which, at the time, were
members of the Chest.
The full committee debated the
reports of both these subcommittee
with a view to recommend to the
Chest some constructive guide to
be followed by the Chest which,
while expressive of the Judgment OF
these subcommittee, would, at the
same time, avoid controversy and
discussion of approval or disap-
proval. 1t was thought by the full
committee that no useful purpose
would be achieved by disclosing
either to the Chest or the public
any agency or agencies as ones
which ought to be denied Chest
membership. 1t was believed that
such detailed information might be
productive of confusion, controversy
and debate which ultimately would
rather injure than aid the genuine
public confidence which the COM
mittee thought should be supported
and maintained for the Chest.
The committee resolved to lay
down. If possible, directive and
advisory recommendation which, If
followed by the Chest. would accom-
plish the purpose which these sub
committees had in mind of elm
mating from Chest bounty any
agencies whose activities were either
so controversial that it could not be
said of them that they could attract
general community support or which
were definitely so unrelated to the
purpose for which the Chest exists
that they were not within the con-
cept of general public welfare within
public acceptance.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I. We recommend that necessary
changes in organization be made to
bring about greater integration OF
the Chest and the council. These
changes should provide for direct
supervision by the Chest over all OF
the functions of the Council OF
Social Agencies related to the work
of the Community Chest and sup
ported by Community Chest funds.
All surveys, projects and reports
undertaken by the council with
chest funds should be approved by