Evening star., 1949-11-28
Chest Campaign
Turns
|0n Counties
Alexandria Hopes
To Top Its $67,288
Quote Tomorrow

counties this week as the Cap1taI
areas Red Feather campaigners
seek the $4,000 still needed to
make their $3,991,719 goal.
Alexandria and the four coun-
ties, along with Washington units.
will report twice-tomorrow and
Thursday-in stepped-up effort
which Campaign Chairman Frank
]. Luchs has dubbed the clean
up.'"
Alexandria, already at 86 per
cent and the drives runner-up; Is
hoping to top its $67 ,228 quota to-
morrow. Alexandria Chairman
Randall Hicks last week chal-
lenged the drives leader, the Gov
unit, to a victory race,
with Government only three
points ahead.
But with the four counties it Is
a different story. Late in starting.
they have made slow progress SO
far, and at this stage-the drives
fifth report week-leaders are un-
certain just when their quotas may
be met. They know 1t won't be
this week, or even next.
Less Than Half Subscribed.
The combined quotas OF the five
out-of town units total $365, 1886.
This is small when compared to
Governments $1,585,411 or WASH
ington Business rs $1,467 ,291, but
even so 1t can spell the difference
between success and failure in tho
drive as a whole. OF the $685., 1886,
slightly more than $50, 0,000-much
less than half-has been sub
scribed to date.
Contrasting with the standing
of the drive as a whole-78 per
cent-here are the current per-
centage standings Of the four
counties in descending order:
Fairfax-eO per cent of a quota
of $41,331.
Arlington-53 per cent OF
quota Of $60,88s.
Prince Georges-49 per cent Of
a quota of $60,435.
Montgomery-41 per cent of .
quota of $136,004.
Two outstanding problems have
cropped up almost everywhere in
the counties, the leaders report.
One is the failure of many busi-
ness firms and their employees to
show sufficient generosity. The
other is the complaint from
housewives that their husbands
already have contributed in WASH
ington; they don't want to give
again.
Prospects in Counties.
Here is the way leaders size up
the present situation and the
prospects in each Of the counties:
Fairfax-With $500 solicitors.
Fairfax has the largest campaign
organization In It's history-three
times bigger than last yeaH On
this basis. Mrs. Eleanor S. Justus-
son. county chairman, is hoping
for more money than last year.
but the large territory to cover
has made returns slow, and they
are due to become slower still
from now on.
Arlington-There are about 800
solicitors, 200 more than last year,
but so far progress is about the
same. Chairman Lawrence Mi
chael reports more money and
gifts from the large business
group, but serious trouble with
smaller businesses, which are still
at only IS per cent Of quota. An
other problem: Housewives who
give nothing or just token gifts,
claiming their husbands gave in
Washington.
Prince Georges-Four to five
hundred solicitors is the same
size organization as last year. but
the county for the first time IL
separate report meetings.
in addition to area reports. Drive
was late in being organized. Resi-
Dental unit is slower than last
year, and business, although pro-
ducing new and bigger gifts, has
not come through well enough yet.
But Chairman Smith Purdum
emphasized that a gradual, thor
ough job is being done which Is
expected to produce better re-
suits than last year.
Drive In Montgomery.
Montgomery-The drive in
Montgomery. according to Chair
man James A. Mitchell, has not yet
reached it's height. Organized
late, workers have had a basic
difficulty in finding
prospects because rapid COM
munity growth has made street
maps out-of- f-date; in Kensington
and Rockville, they have had TO
organize a house house census.
which won't really be of benefit
until next year. Residential
solicitors are having trouble with
the housewife husband claim. In
many businesses, canvassers are
not being allowed to solicit en-
ployes, even though the firms
may contribute themselves, and
business as a whole is not COM
ing through well enough, in spite
Of outstanding exceptions.
Alexandria's spectacular returns
are being achieved by about 900
solicitors-300 more than last
year-who are talking, not about
the Chest but about the agencies
the Chest finances, Chairman
Hicks said. Ninety-f1ve per cent
Of the big businesses and rs per
cent of the smaller ones are ex-
pected to enlist in the drive, and
both more and bigger gifts are
being obtained, he added. He
credited success to better cover
age by the solicitors. organized
veil ahead Of time.
D:,.>.I~l> DTA paxrav