Evening star., 1949-02-24
Parker Succeeds
Bell as Chest
Federation Head
500 at Meeting Hear
New President Urge
Unity for Progress

Unity for Progress
Chauncey G. Parker became the
president of the Washington Com
munity Chest Federation last
night, as the organization OBJ
served the 21st anniversary of its
foundation in the Interior De-
partment auditorium.
1t was a coming -of-age cele-
bration, attended by nearly 500
persons who have worked in Chest
campaigns since the first one in
1929. They gathered to hear
speakers review those past cam
paigns, honor the men who led
them and rededicate the Chest to
the service of the community and
the idea Of federation.
Other officers elected were Ed
gar F. Cara, first vice president;
Wilbur B. Tubbs, second vice
president; Arthur J. Phelan, third
vice president; Francis Palms, jr.,
fourth vice president; Maurice D.
Rosenberg. fifth vice president;
Frank R. Jellef, sixth vice presi-
dent; John A. Reilly, treasurer,
and Caesar L. Aiello, secretary.
The new president, who served
as the general chairman of the
1949 campaign, succeeds Daniel
w. Bell, finishing his second
term as president of the fedora
ton.
Up From Ranks.
Mr.. Parker, director for admin
istration of the World Bank, has
served in the ranks of the Chest
campaigns in every position from
solicitor to chairman. He headed
the drives for the District in 1910
and 1941, before being called to
active duty in the Marine Corps.
Accepting the Office, he summed
up the central idea of the eve
ming: The Community Chest can
stand criticism, but unity of pur-
pOSG ID d Udlll1S1 QllS1C4 "l11Sll
the federation can go forward. "
Other speakers took note of
criticism of the Chest. In his re-
port to the meeting, Mr.. Bell spoke
of a minority movement within
the organization to oust some %
member agencies on the ground
that they do not come within the
purpose for which the Chest was
founded.
The Chest "has not gotten away
from its original purpose" Mr..
Bell said. In the first campaign
there were 38 agencies providing
relief and service to the distressed,
sick and helpless. Thirteen
recreational agencies and five mis-
cellaneous social welfare agencies.
Today in the federation there are
more of them. all in these same
categorieS: otherwise, 1t is the
same today as it was 81 years
ago"
Reports on Apportionment.
Reporting on the work of the
Chest within the last year, Mr..
Bell told the meeting how the con-
tributor's dollar was divided up:
80 cents for child care and family
welfare services, 11A cents for
health services, 14A cents for
disqualification. 1914 cents for rec
reaticn and international youth
education, / cent for various spe-
cialized services and 1914 cents
for central Chest services.
He said that, in addition to the
S3.168,288 raised in the 1o48 cam
paign, the Federation and mem
ber agencies had added from re-
serves to bring the total sum spent
in the year to $4.425,011.
Although the campaign this fall
failed to reach its goal by Is per
cent. the $3,435,554 raised repre-
sented the first gain over a pre-
vious years campaign since 1914,
Mr.. Bell said.
"It would seem that we have
struck bottom and may be on the
way up," he predicted.
The meeting also was addressed
by Mr.. Jelleff, president Of
United Community Services and
former Federation president. Mr..
Jellef also pleaded for unity
within the Federation to work out
amicable solutions to problems
that make for division.
Cites Split on Housing.
"The question seems to be: Shall
we have two Community Chests
with an iron curtain between
them, or is there some way for
the good of the community that
we may all get together?" Among
the main bones of contention
within the Chest agencies is the
problem of public VS.. private hous-
ing, the speaker said. This has
been causing bitterness between
opposing factions for years, he de-
clared.
Mr.. Jelleff, along with Cole
man Jennings and Edwin c. Gra-
ham, received special recognition
during the meeting for their con-
tributions to the Chest in the
past. They were presented with
small silver chests with the names
of former presidents and cam
paign chairmen engraved on
them. Mr.. Graham, VINO is out
of town, was represented by his
brother.
Another speaker was Lyman S
Ford of New York, director OF
health and welfare planning OF
the Community Chests of America
Stresses Human Services.
Mr.. Ford pointed out that the
idea of a federated Community
Chest can't be sold to the public
on the basis of efficiency alone
I'VE must not substitute cold
blooded statistical-formula type Of