Evening star., 1947-09-18
Chest-CounciI MerqeI
Plans Being Shaped
For October Action

The washington Community
Chest and the Council of Social
Agencies were laying the ground
work today for final action, possibly
next month, on the proposed Chest
council merger.
Appointment or 12-man commit
tee to present recommendations of
member agencies of the council on
the merger at the October meeting
of the delegate body and members
at large was authorized yesterday
at meeting in the YWCA, Seven
teenth and K streets NV.
No date has been fixed for the
meeting, at which it is hoped there
will be a vote on whether the coun-
Gil and Chest should be reorganized
into single agency.
Wider Participation Supported.
Plans for a new Chest-council
providing wider community partici-
patton in welfare program mapping
were approved by the Chest Execu-
tive Committee and the council
board on August 20 and recommend
ed to the governing bodies of the
two.
Lee D. Butler, president of the
Washington Community Chest, has
urged the 244 members of the Board
of Trustees to expedite the study
and consideration" of the recon-
mended plan, it was announced
last night.
Mr.. Butler said he will call a
meeting in mid-October at which
Chest trustees will vote on the
proposal.
Copies Of the plan of reorganiza-
ton have been sent each of the 81
boards Of directors of the member
agencies of the Chest SO that each
may study the recommendation
and so that the trustees (of the
Chest) named by the member
agency boards may bring to the
next Board of Trustees meeting the
views of their respective agency
boards Mr.. Butler wrote the trus-
tees.
Questions to Be Settled.
Indications that many questions
remain to be ironed out for the
member agencies of the council
concerning the merger came at the
yesterday A motion asking
of committee to
make sure that any recommenda-
tions of the agencies are considered
at the October meeting was carried
following panel discussion and
question period on the merger
proposal.
One question was raised by Dom
aid Bautz of the Lutheran Inner
Society, who wanted to
know by what name the reorganized
body would be known. He said his
group was 4 on-Chest-supported
one, and he felt the incorporation
of the word "Chest" in the name
would be Objectionable.
Col. Campbell johnson, vice
president of the council, said names
could be among the matters brought
up at the October meeting.
Other questions concerned the re-
spective parts to be played by pro-
fessional and lay persons in the new
the qualifications of a
director with regard to social plan
ming and budgeting experience, steps
to be taken if the new body should
not work out" and how long it
should be given, and whether basic
needs of the community will take
precedence over community "ac-
ceptability' of the agency involved.
Speculation on Delay.
There was some speculation as to
whether the strong feeling apparent
at the meeting that individual
agencies Of the council should have
a chance to consider fully the effects
of the proposed merger might delay
final action.
Completion OF action on the mer-
ger might be of value in the coming
campaign for funds, Col. johnson
said.
Speaking on the panel, Miss Jane
Hoey, vice president of the council.