Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-01-28

(This is a continuation of the
pOint-by- point discussion of the
program of the Rockville Board
of Trade for 1954.)
A continuing annoyance to Rock
vile businessmen and one which
has cost them time and money has
been the constantly increasing de-
mands upon them for contribu-
tions. While it is recognized that
there are many worthy requests
for assistance which originates
from recognized sources here in
Rockville and that national cam
paigns for the support of accepted
charitable and welfare organiza-
tons are legitimate, there are also
numerous requests from people
who come into Rockville for the
sole purpose of soliciting funds for
the support Of unknown activities
or those which, while they may be
legitimate, do not operate in Rock
vile or adjacent areas. 1t is from
the solicitations of this latter
group that most of the complaints
reaching the office of the Board of
Trade have originated.
Last summer, as result of COM
plants from merchants, the Board
of Trade, after study of the man.
ner in which this problem has been
handled in other cities throughout
the United States, drew up and
adopted policy for control of So
licitation.
Board Policy
Briefly stated, the Board of
Trade policy acknowledges that
certain national fund raising cam
paigns are well justified and that
no attempt should be made to con-
troll them in any way. These would
include such drives as Community
Chest, the American Red Cross,
Boy Scouts of America, and other
worthwhile and nationally recog-
nized groups. In the cases of other
organizations and individuals, how
ever, the policy requires that let
ter be written by the soliciting or
ganization stating the purpose for
which the funds being solicited
will be used. the nature of the or
ganization soliciting, the period
during which solicitations will be
made, and other pertinent facts.
A committee has been set up to
pass on the worthiness of each re-
quest received. If Board of Trade
approval is given, solicitors are
provided with an identifying letter
which states that they have secur-
ed the approval of the Board of
Trade and specifies the period dur
ing which solicitations will be
made. Each person soliciting for
an approved organization in the
Rockville area will have such
letter. 1t is required that at the
conclusion of the specified solicit
ing period the letter be returned
to the office of the Rockville
Board of Trade. Failure to do this
will will be taken into considera-
ton by the committee if the or
ganization should again at later
date request permission to solicit.
There are certain organizations
which, under the policy, must be
turned down without consideration.
These include all solicitation cam
paigns carried on by telephone,
solicitations which benefit single
individual or small group rather
than the community as whole,
and certain others.
Public Responsibility
The effectiveness of the policy
rests entirely with the individual
donors concerned. There is nothing
which requires a member to COM
ply with the decision of the COM
mittee. This does not pose a SER
ious difficulty, however, since the
policy has been established as
service to. members and, therefore,
in the majority of cases voluntary
compliance is obtained.
AS an additional help in warding
off unwanted solicitors, Board of
Trade members have been provided
with a decolcomania to be placed
on the window or door of their es-
Enlistment warning solicitors that
only solicitations approved by the
Board of Trade will be honored. 1t
is significant that since the policy
on solicitations was adopted and
the use of the warning decalco-
mania begun, there has been no.
ticeable decrease in the number of
out-of-town solicitors. So.
To date the Board of Trade has
-