Evening star., 1950-04-13
UCS Unit Backs II
Health Agencies for
1851 Chest Support

Eleven agencies in the health
field have been indorsed for 1851
Community Chest aid by the
United Community Services health
section.
The sections action, taken at a !
meeting yesterday. included one
agency, the Washington Commit
tee for Education on Alcoholism.
which has not previously received
Chest funds.
Action on only one of the II.
the Washington Animal Rescue
League. aroused any controversy
The others. approved without dis
pute, are:
The Instructive Visiting Nurse
Society, Washington Tnstituts of
Mental Eygiene District Society
for the Prevention Of Blindness.
Washington Hearing Society, So
cial Hygiene Society, Children's
Country Home, Christ Child Con-
valescent Farm. Florence Critten-
ton Home and Washington Hous-
ing Association.
Final Action Up to Trustees.
The IL. officials said. are the
only agencies to apply so far to
the health section for help next
year. Considered previously by a
Joint meeting of the health sec
tons executive committee and the
health subcommittee of the UCS
budget committee, the II agencies
applications now go to the UCS
executive committee. Final actionl
will be in the hands of the UCS
board of trustees.
Opposition to the Animal Rescue
League inclusion was made on a !
question of the leagues eligibility
under UCS bylaws.
DR.. Winfred Overholser, health
section chairman. said the earlier
Joint meetings Endorsement was
not unanimous on the league.
That joint session passed a res
olution indorsing the league,
however. he added, ION grounds
that the Board of Trustees of use
saw fit to admit the agency to
membership in 1850 and that the
criteria for admission of an
agency have remained the same"
ViviSectiOn Issue Raised.
Mrs. c. Augustus Simpson, a
league board member, said there
always have been some people
who thought animals should not
be included" in the Chest aid, but
that the league is charter men,
ber Of the Chest and has never
lost its membership.
The vivisection issue entered
the discussion. when DR.. Seruch
kimble. section member-at-
large. declared the league would
make substantial contribution"
If it would furnish animals to
medical schools.
Mrs. Simpson said the leagues
policy is to take no stand on the
issue and that "the reason is
obvious"
IF We did So" the league added
In a statement to the section,
there would undoubtedly be a
storm of indignation from the
animal-lovers who make up our
membership and contributors
through the Chest. Their finan-
cial support would be stopped.
and they would certainly cease
sending us animals"
Opposition Laid to Faulty Bill.
Mrs. Simpson said the leagues
opposition last year to a bill that
would have forced the pound to
make dogs available to medical
schools here was based on oppo-
sition to "a very faulty BILL" not
to viviSection. She added that,
personally, Il approve of vivi-
section very much"
Pleas for Endorsement of the
Committee for Education on Alco-
holiSm were made by it's chairman.
Municipal Court Judge Walter j.
Casey. and Health Officer Daniel
L. Seckinger. The committee, Or
ganized in 1914. conducts an al
coholic information center and
operates convalescent center.
Judge Casey said the Districts |
recent establishment of a program
to direct chronic alcoholics to
clinics from court is evidence that |
the public is awakening to the
problem of alcoholism. His ex-
perience on the bench, he said,
shows the definite need to rec
ognize alcoholism for what it is
"a disease"
In adding his support to the
committee, DR.. Seckinger said he
feels very strongly that a factor
in determining success of the
Districts program will be active
participation by community
groups"