PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAC
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 195
Chamber Of Commerce Defends 'Chest' Expenditures
Editor's note: The following letter was sent to the editor by Mr. E. R. Zook, secretary-manager of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. The editorial referred to appeared in the Dec. 18 issue of the U.D.K. and was entitled "We Point With Pride?" We have printed the letter in full because we felt the subject warranted full treatment. The editor's answer will appear in Monday's paper.
Dear Mr. Bannigan:
First I would like to explain that I believe in the right and need of a free press. However, I only believe in that need when the truth is presented and not when an editor-in-chief either writes or permits the use of the editorial column for presentation of an article or articles which are distorted and biased.
It has been most amusing to read your editorial in the Monday, December 18th issue of the Daily Kansan.
For your information, and available to you from the records of the Community Chest files, the funds raised for the Community Chest in Lawrence have for some years been dedicated for the same purposes as those for which they were used this year. The inclusion of Community Activities in the Community Chest is not a new innovation.
The first distortion of the true picture comes through your reference to the cost of the Christmas decorations on on Massachusetts street. You indicate that these decorations cost $2,500.00. This is not true and has never been presented in such a manner. The actual cost, including electricity, rehabilitation of old equipment, installation, etc., will be approximately $1,750.00. While such a figure appears astronomical, it is the cheapest cost that could be had through competitive bidding. You note that I have said competitive bidding because in the world of private enterprise such business measures have consistently assured the spender of reasonable costs. I assume that you are aware of the use of competitive bidding in securing the lowest cost possible on contracts.
It must be noted that your editorial only criticizes the portion of Community Chest funds apportioned to Christmas activities and Fourth of July. You do not say anything about the Housing Assistance or Mental Health Clinic listed under Community Activities. Perhaps your likes and dislikes are selected by the benefits that accrue to the students of the University. On this premise I present my argument.
In addition to the cost of Christmas decorations on the main business street of our city, other uses of the $2,500.00 under the heading of Christmas activities are:
1. The Christmas package wrapping station which is open to any student or citizen of Lawrence. As a matter of fact there never has been a check made to see that everyone who uses the wrapping service has been a donor to the Community Chest. This service costs approximately $500.00 and according to the many fine comments received on the service, it is an expenditure well worth while.
2. Provision of the Santa Claus Special train for the kiddies. This unit will cost $435.00 and is open to use by all children, regardless of race, creed or financial standing.
If you will add the cost of each separate item accountable to the Christmas Activities fund, you will find that the total exceeds the amount received from the Community Chest. (This year the total received was $2.375.00). The difference is provided by special solicitation from the merchants and professional people of Lawrence. Some years this difference runs as high as $1.000.00, but I am sure you have never seen any publicity giving the business world credit for such a move.
The second distortion in your editorial comes through your reference to the Fourth of July Fund. For your information and that of your readers, the Chamber of Commerce does not reap one red penny from this expenditure. As a matter of fact it is a headache which we would like to get rid of. As you perhaps know, the stores in Lawrence are not open on the Fourth of July. This is a customary practice throughout the country and I am sure prevails in your home city. The crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 people who attend the Fourth of July freeworks program do not benefit the merchants of Lawrence on that particular day. The affair is not one promoted by the Chamber of Commerce, but one included in the budget of the Community Chest through the efforts of many interested citizens who desire it to be included in order to have their city provide entertainment on a comparable basis to other cities in this area. The Chamber of Commerce happens to be the community organization who is called upon to stage the program. And, I might add, we shall be very happy to let some other organization take over this responsibility. As a matter of fact, we are recommending to the Board of Directors of the Community Chest that this responsibility be assumed by others than the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps the summer-school students or the faculty would be willing to take the criticism and put out the work required on this project. Should we recommend that you and your cohorts are jealous of who gets the job to do, and that you want the responsibility of the Fourth of July program? You have left us in a quandary with your distortions and we are needing some enlightenment as to what you are trying to develop through your insufficient editorial.
Referring to the Housing Assistance allotment in the Community Chest, it must be pointed out that the greatest percentage use of the service provided in the Housing Office is provided to the students and faculty of the University. It may be unfortunate that the Housing Office is located in the Chamber of Commerce offices. This may be the reason for associating it with the Chamber of Commerce. Wait, I am taking the wrong slant on this activity. You haven't criticized this function. Anyway, for your information, the Chamber of Commerce furnishes office space free of charge to the Housing Assistance office and we are happy to help out in the cause. It is estimated that 92 per cent of the calls made on the housing office the past year was from students and faculty of the University. Does that figure ring any bells in your biased approach to journalism.
Now let's get down to a real argument with respect to Community Chest funds. Let's take the Y.M.C.A. and the W.W.C.A. and see if it is a community function. Let's examine the membership of those organizations and see what addresses are listed as the home of the members. I am sure that you will find a very small percentage of the membership is from Lawrence. The participation of these two agencies in the Lawrence Community Chest has evoked much criticism in the past and no doubt will evoke some in the future. Up until this year, these two agencies received $2,500 per year from the Lawrence Community Chest. Can the agencies be called local or shall we refer to them as agencies of the University? That seems to be the question. And then there is the question of the reliability of these two groups, at least on the local scene.
There has been past assertions made that some of the past leaders of the two agencies might be a little "pink." Have you heard such remarks or are you like me, just a newcomer to Lawrence. This year the Y.M.C.A. and the Y.W.C.A. was reduced to $1,800 a year in the allotment of Community Chest funds. There appears to be every indication that such a reduction was justifiable and I am certain that you will find written records available for your examination, should you desire to look into the reasons of this reduction. What is your answer to the participation of these two agencies in the Community Chest? Here again, from your editorial, it appears that you don't know the issues or the operation of a Community Chest.
Perhaps the greatest distortion in your entire editorial was the reference made to the use of posters showing the bandaged head of a little boy. No posters of this type were used in the Lawrence Community Chest funds drive. To the best of my memory, the only place I have ever seen this poster is in conjunction with the Community Chest drive in Kansas City. Could you be confused?
It is also interesting to note that no student donations were asked for the Lawrence Community Chest in the campaign just passed. Are you aware of this policy? Are you aware of the fact that the only drive for funds was made through the faculty of the University? Do you know the reason for excluding the students from the fund solicitations this year? All of these answers are available to you in the Community Chest files.
Who contributes the greatest percentage of the funds for the Community Chest? Records in the Community Chest office will prove to you that the merchants, industries and professional men and women of Lawrence contribute 75% of the necessary funds to carry out the program on the Community Chest. What amounts of the funds are contributed by the students? Last year, the Community Chest received the astounding surr of $69.00 from the students. This year, 1950-51, Community Chest did not receive one penny from students. The faculty and staff at the University contributed $2,376.50. Do these figures enlighten you as to who foots the bill? Maybe your training has taught you to go on the premise that business should pay all the bills of the community. If so, you as a newspaper man will have a sad awakening when and if you enter the business world Business does pay a very large share of any endeavor attempted by any community and I am certain you will find this to be the case, if a fair and impartial examination is made of any community. For example, who do the students go to when they want contributions for events "on the hill"? Any merchant in Lawrence will be happy to show you how much he has contributed to these and many other causes during the past few years You will probably answer that the merchants should pay the bill because the students spend so much money in town. That could be a true assumption, but let's give them credit when they do respond.
As to your last paragraph in the editorial mentioned at the start of this letter. The Chamber of Commerce of any community does not belong to the Secretary-Manager, the President, or to any one particular person. It is an organization made up of a true cross-section of the community with its program one of community betterment. There is no compulsion used in order to get a membership. It must be voluntary and I am sure that the organizations known as the Chamber of Commerce throughout the country, can be pointed to with pride as those groups of men and women who are carrying the fight to save our American way of life. If you as a potential newspaper man haven't made a study of business organizations and their importance to the community and America; their stand on education, free enterprise, free press, etc., then you will be a lost soul when you encounter this phenomenon in your ventures out into the world.
It is with regret this letter has to be so lengthy. However, it is impossible to give a clear picture on this subject without going to great lengths. There are yet a lot of things that haven't been said that would help you get a clearer picture of what a Community's responsibilities must be if we are to remain a free, unsuppressed people.
The Ohio University Post has picked up a tip from the Ohio State Lantern. The paper now prints the names of those absent from meetings of the school's student council. Commented the Lantern: "... Attendance has picked up considerably." Might be a good idea at K.U!.
Sincerelv.
Members of the Psi Upsilon chapter at the University of Michigan learned, the hard way, that "boozers are losers." Caught drinking in their fraternity house, the group was put on social probation and fined $2,000.
E. R. Zook, Manager.
According to the Hastings Collegian, one of the students at that school conducted a one-man survey to see if professors actually read all the term papers required in a course. He inserted a paragraph in some collateral notes stating that he didn't believe teachers read what pupils write, and asking the prof to underline the paragraph if he read it. The paper was returned—unmarked.
The 'Chest' Budge
COMMUNITY CHEST BUDGET 1950.51
From Journal-World, Oct. 27
Box Scouts
Girl Scouts
Hi-Y
Y-Tags
4-H Club
YMCA
WYCA
Safety Army
Social Service League
Christmas Activities
4th of July
Hospital Assistance
Mental Health Clinic
Shrinkage
Administration
Total
$22,575
Revised Budget from Journal-World.
Dec. 1
Drive fell short of goal by $3,375
$390 was deducted from expense allotment
$400 was deducted from shrinkage fund
and then drive fund was only $2.475
New Budget (All allotments cut) 5%
Boy Scouts $250.00
Girl Scouts $2,539.0
Hi-Y 261.2
Y-Teens 237.5
4-H Club 950.0
YWCA 835.0
YWCA 855.0
Salvation Army 4,438.8
Social Service League 1,140.0
Christmas Activities 2,375.0
4th of July 830.0
Housing Assistance 665.0
Mental Health Clinic 1,710.0
Total $19,546.7
Editor's note: We would like to hear from students and faculty on this topic and we guarantee that all letters will be printed providing they are less than 200 words, signed with full name, address, and classification of writer and are not libelous or obscene.
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