Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-03-31
Competition Among Charities
Or Chaos i'm the Causes

From timeto-time survey the busy world that
is Montgomery County from the VIGOROUSLY easy chair of
rural editor, get the strangest ideas Yes, know
you think So too
Nevertheless just to relieve the tedum of the usual
and in the undoubtedly mistaken belief that it's good to
approach familiar things with and thought-provoking
slant in while, we'd like try this out for size
The subject is public charities. You know, first the
Community Chest that supposed to wrap up in
package every sound to which every sound citizen
should and could contribute in generous outpourng of
warm human feeling Then the antpolio drive. Then the
heart fund Then multiple cerosis. Then the Red Cross
and Crippled Children and Cancer and steadily through
the calendar
Now, to begin with, each and every of these
is worthy Clearly, unquestonaby and definitely worthy We
wish each and every we'll Personally, would give
half of income to each of them. But we like so
many other persons we know have only income And
there simply not enough halves to go around.
The answer, obviously, would be to determine which
of these to be the most vital and to aid that
first and others as our pennies run out.
Easier said than done We had nephew that had close
scrape with polio horrible thing We have good friend
who stands in the shadow of heart disease And
appalled, at the untimey death of community leader from
cancer while still in the prime of life.
Similarly if attempt to take an objective view Is
it heart disease that is the No killer? If there
is hope at present for the solution of multiple sceross
shouldn't that by and devote pennies to
the solution of polio which is said to be at hand only
give those extra few pennies? Or because children still
future hopes why not sink all of the charitable budget
assistance for crippled children?
There are, unquestionabe sound reasoned to
these queries The facts known to the experts who make
public health their business But such guidance forth
coming to the average citizen rather, each is put
its to make what progress by adrot appeal
and efficient organization
This classic kind of competition is fine for rival
papers, for competing TV manufacturers producers of dog
food and garden seed But in matters of life and death
represented by many worthy competing for a
limited portion of the public is sound sensible
The Community Chest - through travail and much
internal pain is able to agree the proportionate slice
of the charitable dollar that goes to ophanages against
youth clubs. Why is there comparable organization
to assmilate the health and prorate the already
depleted dollar according to the need and service rendered
This we know: With all the good will in the world the
public cannot help but develop deadened response
plea after another they through the year
of wolfwof when there may may not be wolf sweeps
over the wamestheared person his available cash for
worthy dwindeS.
For their good and the good those they serve chart-
able organizations should face to this and unity and police
their appeals They to the public to which they
constantly and in turn appeal for help.