#2-7JAR to SAC.

er month, as against 44 members in the housa at Kansas Alpha at
847650 per Soden, or a total of $2,000.00 per month and has also
an unknown number of outside members who pay $11.00 per month each.
Thus it appears that the operating monthly expense of Kansas Alpha
out side of rent and food is at least $400.00 more per month than
at California Delta, and on the other hand Kansas Alpha collects
from its members at least $200.00 more per month than does Calif.
Delta. This means a difference of $5,400 for nine months.

Under these circumstances it hardly seems fair to call
on the alumni for money to refurnish the house and I hesitate to
respond to the call unless these marked differences are explained
aways <£ am further informed that the annual budget requirement
for refurnishing is $2,000 per annum. That seems rather large.
Worthwhile furnishings should easily last ten years on the average,
and at the rate of $2,000 annual replacement this would mean an
Bquipment cost of $20,000. What was the original cost of the
present equipment in the house ? What is it worth now ?

For payments on the mortgage, insurance, taxes, building
reserve fund, management service-the total required annually is
$5,800, or only $422.25 per month for 9 months, or but $9.60 per |
month for each of the boys in the house. Certainly that is cheap |
enough rent even for unfurnished rooms, and I feel sure that the |
boys will realize under these circumstances that they should pay
enough additional to make good their own wear and tear.

I am more interested in knowing that the present mortgage
will be paid at least during the life of the present house. Besides,
plans must be made for then replacing it or disaster will come. TI
enclose a letter from Brg.A. C. (Tom) Platt of California Delta and
the results of his 10-year plan by which he has collected $80,000
and now has enough for a new chapter house after having paid 502 4000
for the old one and the ground. Each man who goes out from the
chapter signs a note for payment of at least $100.00 to the build-
ing fund, and this should be done at Kansas Alpha. In addition a
plan something like the Platt plan should he adopted and carried
out. But unless some one man will take the burden of keeping for-
ever on the job and pounding the brothers on the back year and year
out for their remittances it will fail. After I had secured a
chapter house for Colorado Alpha and had put in $1,000 of my own
money, when I left Denver it was not properly eared for and the
house was lost and we lost practically all our money. Therefore,

I emphasize the necessity of a hard-boiled collector on the job
all the time and persistently at it.

I write this mot captiously but in a fraternal spirit and
hope it may result in something practital being done.

Fraternally yours,