Evening star., 1950-11-12
'Aid-to-GI Fund
Fails sto|ncrease
Chest Donations
DuffieId Says Public
Is Not Conscious of
Servicemen's Need

1uIlQ lSIl raising UQe money
leaders Of Washington's Commu-
nifty Chest campaign hoped it
would, Chairman Hugh Duffield
declared last night.
Mr.. Duff1eld said o Chest fund
for servicemen's entertainment
and welfare assistance to their
families has failed to attract the
expectd contributions.
People are not conscious of the
GIs' needs as we had hoped" the
drive chairman asserted. He
added that aid for servicemen
had been considered one of the
drives biggest selling points.
Chest leaders specifically ear
marked more than $230,000 for
military-aid purposes before they
started the drive. and they in
creased the Chest goal for this
purpose.
Drive 40% Short of Goal.
The goal now is $4,260, 900, and
the drive is entering its fourth
report week 10 per cent short Of
that amount.
Mr.. Dufield said every effort
has been made to bring public
attention to the military program
planned for next year. A total
OF $160.000 has been earmarked
for an emergency reserve" and
the remainder of the $3.50, 900 is
supposed to go to three agencies
comprising the Associated Serv-
ices for the Armed Forces-simi-
lar to the wartime USO.
This much won't be available.
however, if the full $4,260, 900 goal
isn't reached. Mr.. Duffield wasn't
willing to make a prediction on
the campaign outcome last night.
Among Chest agencies already
active in providing either recrea-
tion to men in uniform or well
fare AID to their families are the
YMCA, YWCA. National Catholic
Community Service, Jewish We'll
fare Board, Family Service Asso-
citation and Travellers Aid.
May Be Only Fund Source.
In addition. the reactivated
Armed Forces Hospitality Com
mittee which o-ordinated military
welfare work here during World
War II is planning to seek Chest
funds for its administrative ex-
penses. The committee this week
end opened a new information
service for servicemen at 1400
Pennsylvania avenue NV.
The Chest is expected to be the
only major possible source of
funds for this kind of work in
the area next year. Civic leaders
in Alexandria and other nearby
communities, as well as Washing
ton. currently are considering mill
tary recreation moves that will
call for Chest support.
i An estimated $4,000 servicemen
now are stationed in Washington
or within easy off duty committing
distance, according to military
officials: Additional thousands stop
here at the bus terminals and
Union Station with extra time on
their hands.
A possible reason for lack Of
public interest in their problem.
Mr.. Duffield suggested. is that
many do not wear their uniforms
when off duty. Thus, there actually
are many more wandering about
the streets, especially on week
ends, than people realize. he
pointed out.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle,
chairman Of the Hospitality Com
mittee, told The Star last night
she is in agreement with Mr. Duff
field on the need for raising suffi-
cient Chest funds to provide rec
reation facilities for such service
men.
"The boys here now are very
young, and perhaps away from
home for the first time" Mrs.
Doyle pointed out. "We feel we
want to supply wholesome recrea-
tion for them, and we feel the
need is going to be even greater
than it is now.
IF we don't do 1t now" she
added, well be caught and feel
so very sorry we haven't pre-
pared"
Gen. Brooks to Speak.
1t. Gen. Edward H. Brooks, as
sistant Army chief of staff, will
stress the Importance of this part
of the Chest drive at the general
report luncheon at the Hotel
Washington uesday. Defense
Secretary Marshall already has
addressed the Chest workers on
the same subject and called for
strong public support.
Mr.. Duff1eld and his associates
hopefully are shooting for SO mil
lion by Tuesday, on the theory
that it would be a morale builder
for the remainder of the drive.
MI. Dufield said last night he
is counting on a reservoir Of
100000 citizens who contributed
last year to help make the drive
success
100000 Expected to Donate.
These 100000, he explained,
haven't contributed yet this year,
or if they have, their donations
haven't yet been reported. But
they can be expected to come
through again, and leaders hope
they will increase their contribu-
tions in line with this years 20
per cent increase in goal.
Slow coverage by solicitors was
blamed by Mr.. Dufield for the
lag in getting these donations in.
Many people have yet to be ap-
preached, he said.
At the same time, a number Of
campaign groups. notably in the
Government, already have topped
their quotas. Among these is the
big Defense Department, which
hit 101 per cent with subscriptions
totaling over S312. 600 last Friday.