Evening star., 1950-05-07
Session Called
On Merger Of
Charity Drives
Community Leaders
Meet Wednesday to
Consider Proposal

ing this week.
Commissioner John Russell
Young has called the meeting for
10 am. Wednesday, Governing
heads of Alexandria and the four
nearby counties have been asked
TO attend, along with leaders Of
some rs charitable and civic or
ganiZationS.
The session may lay the ground
work for mass civic gathering
to discuss the problem OF compet-
ing fund drives. spokesman said.
Notes Fowler Warning.
Plans for the meeting were in
splred by the growing number OF
separate fund drives being con-
Quoted here, Commissioner Young
said in message TO the leaders.
He cited recent report by
District Budget Officer Walter l..
Fowler of nine fund drives in the
city government in seven months.
Recalling Mr.. Fowler's warning
that such frequent solicitation is
taxing the charitable impulses OF
District Government workers. Mr..
Young pointed out that both the
Federal Government and civic or
ganizations had expressed inter-
est since then. He declared:
I'm order to test public opinion
on the problem of multiple cam
paigns. We need an opportunity
for grass roots comment from the
widest possible citizen level"
The meeting follows a Sugges-
ton by the Community Chest
Federation at its annual meet
ing two months ago. The Chest
deplored the number of competing
drives and urged civic leaders 10
consider creating a larger united
fund campaign for the area.
Cabinet Considers Action.
Labor Secretary Tobin. at the
Chest meeting. said the problem
IN the Government was so great
the cabinet was considering i'm
posing a one solicitation plan to
embrace all charities. He urged
prompt community action to re-
duce competition.
Recently, the Federation Of
BuSineSSmen's Associations and
the Junior Chamber of Commerce
lined up behind the united fund
idea. and Washington Board of
Trade leaders also have tndi-
Gated interest.
Plans for Wednesdays meeting
Include presentation of a report
on a Torch Campaign" uniting
143 appeals, which collected a
record amount last year in De-
troit. Trends in other metropoli-
tan centers also will be reported
The meeting call follows a
precedent set in 1912 when the
Commissioners sponsored a similar
session that resulted in creation
of the Community War Fund.
From 1912 through 1945. the War
Fund combined the efforts of sew
eral major campaigns which nor
mally have been independent.
Chest Aids 100 Agencies.
Most significant outgrowth Of
the War Fund was the present
Community Chest Federation.
formed in 1947 to unite the cam
paigning OF Chest agencies in
Washington and the five nearby
communities. Formerly there were
five independent Chest campaigns
annually.
The Chest Federation. support
ing 100 individual agencies, raises
$3.5 million or more each year.
and 1t is by far the areas largest
single fund-raiser.
The Star found in recent sur
vey, however, that at least % other
public fund appeals now are made
in Washington annually. all inde-
pendent of the Chest and Of each
other. Together they raise more
than $4.5 million a year. or a full
81 million more than the Chest
Regarded as of special signifi-
canoe are several Nationwide or
ganizations which raise sizable
sums and which insist. at present,
on remaining independent.
These include the American
Red Cross. American Cancer So
ciety, National tuberculosis Asso-
citation and National Foundation
for Infantile Paralysis.
Boys Club Raises S3O9. 900.
There are also two other ma
tional health groups which, with
the cancer society. have become
major campaigning contenders
since the war. They are the Ma
tional Society for Crippled Chill
dren and Adults and the Ameri-
can Heart Association. Both now
are independent although the
heart association has no firm pol
icy on this issue.
One Washington organization
also has been of special interest
in the fund-drive situation. This
is the Metropolitan Police Boys
Club. which with the Chest, was
part Of the War Fund but other
wise has remained staunchly in
dependent. The clubs raised $780,
900 in its campaign this year.
Representatives OF all these
groups have been invited to
Wednesdays meeting. together
with officers Of interested civic
and business groups and addi-
tional fund raising organizations.
Sent special invitations by Com
missioner Young were Mayor
Franklin P Backus of Alexandria.
Chairman Daniel A. Dugan of the
Arlington County Board. Chair
man Wallace Carper of the Fair
fax Board Of Supervisors. Chair
man Harry w. McNamee OF the
Prince Georges Board OF County
Commissioners, and Frederic p.