Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-23
Women and Drives


our community" to whom
Mr.. Stanfield S. Mcclure so
CALAMITY pays tribute. I feel
I must take exception to
many of the points he raises
in objection to the United
Givers Fund. in his letter
published in The Star on
May 16.
After 10 years experience
as a Embarrassing volunteer in
the District, for projects
ranging from $50 church and
school bake-sales to $4,000
college scholarship benefits,
and including both door-to-
door and leadership work for
cancer, symphony, Red Cross
and particularly Community
Chest drives, I am personally
convinced that United Giving
is long overdue in the Ma
tional Capital area.
Mr.. Mcclure apparently be-
lieves that United Giving, and
even the limited united COL
lecting of the Community
Chest, are unfair to the
poorer charities" Where
has he been for the past %
years that the Community
Chest has been in existence
in Washington? Can a small
organization conduct a fund
raising drive at a cost of
only 8 cents on the dollar?
Can a small organization COM
mand the volunteer services of
top-flight executives and thou
sands of door-to-door solicit
tors? Can it obtain free radio
and television time? Can it
gain access to every govern
ment Office, local and Federal.
under the sponsorship of
the President of the United
States? No small organiza-
ton could do this alone, but
by joining with other organi-
cations, both small and large.
and with the help of those
much-m a ligned business
men," it can do all of these
things.
1t is readily admitted that
the standards set UP for adj
mission to the Community
Chest have been our insurance
that money given for the bene-
fit of the Community will be
spent wisely and efficiently
and that not a penny will be
wasted.
How can Mr.. Mcclure, in
the same paragraph, use the
word charity" which should
mean love for our fellow man,
and the expressions "competi-
ton" selling" and promo
tion?" I agree that one must
be realistic enough to use mod
ern methods to bring the vital
needs of the community before
the public in competition with
the many other demands that
are made on the public's inter-
est and pocketbook, but that
welfare organization and essen
tial health and recreation
services should advocate COM
petition among themselves in a
mad scramble for the philan-
thropic market is undignif1ed
and demeaning for the giver
and the receiver.
Let us not lose sight Of the
fact that whatever money is
raised goes to help individuals
real people. ! believe that
the 25 incorporators of the
United Givers Fund have this
goal very much in mind and
are doing our community a
real service.
Mrs. Jacques ReinStein.
X y 4
Stanfield S. Mcclure in his
letter of May Is says "the
ladies of our community are
the driving force of any
charities program or fund
raising activity"
! am one of the ladies who
has worked as a volunteer on
Embarrassing drives in some
capacity for Is or more years.
All my associates agree with
me that the constantly grow
ing number of drives have be-
come an imposition on the
willingness and charity of the
volunteer worker. We do not
deny that the cause is worthy
in most cases. But in our SYM
patty for the many good
causes and in self-defense we
are forced To take a stand and
say. we cannot give so much
OF our time. Why can't they
get together and let us have
one drive a year for all united?'
Kathryn Kirk.
1t is true that the twenty
five incorporators of the
United GiverS Fund age bust
nessmen. but this does not
mean that the community ais a
whole will not be included in