Newspaper Article from Syracuse Post Standard, "The Rumor Clinic: Gossip Harming War Effort Is Analyzed and Refuted"

(Reprint from The Syracuse, N. Y., Post-Standard) 22/11/42 The Rumor Clinic Gossip Harming War Effort Is Analyzed and Refuted The Syracuse University Rumor Clinic, with the co-op- eration of The Post-Standard; each Sunday presents, ex- amines and answers with facts rumors which are detri- mental to the nation's war effort. The rumors exposed today have been sent in by morale wardens, operating in conjunc- tion with the Rumor Clinic, and by readers of The Post- Standard. All readers are urged to send in any rumors which they feel may be detrimental to the war effort. Com- munications should bear the name and address of the sender, but neither will be used. They should be addressed to the Syracuse University Rumor Clinic, Syracuse university. In answering rumors the clinic will not give out any data which reveals vital military information, nor can it undertake to answer all rumors sent in. This Week's Rumors Rumor: Stalin is getting ready to make a deal with Hitler because we have not started a second front. Willkie knows this and that is why he is urging a second front at once." This rumor is dangerous because it tends to create among us suspicion of our allies. It is part and parcel of the Hitler technic of "divide and conquer." Fact: Here is what Wendell L. Willkie had to say in reply to an inquiry from the Rumor Clinic after he had returned from visiting Stalin: "In my judgment, the last thing Mr. Stalin will do is to make a deal with Hitler. If there is any nation in the world which will fight this war to a finish, I believe Russia is that nation." Since this rumor was sent to Mr. Willkie, our troops have opened the North African front. Source: Letter from Wendell L. Willkie to the Rumor Clinic. Rumor: "That only 55 per cent of the United War Fund is paid to war relief or Community Chest agencies." This rumor is dangerous. It would tend to discourage contributions to the United War Fund and hence to hamper the war effort. The facts are that the rumor is completely untrue. Fact: The United War Fund of Onondaga county is one of the most, efficient and economically managed funds in the United States. The campaign costs approximately 21/2 per cent. Year around administra- tion, including billing, auditing, bookkeeping, etc., costs .1 per cent. Books are open for inspection of any citizen at any time, and the officers and administrators of the fund welcome the opportunity to give an account of their stewardship to contributors who are interested. To continue, national war agencies are investigated by the national budget committee, composed of volunteers who give their time, to determine which agencies are worthy of support. Gerald W. Swope is chairman of this committee. The committee also determines the total amount which should logically be contributed to each war agency that meets their standards of operation and financial soundness. In Onondaga county, a committee of volunteers headed by Dean M. Lyle Spencer makes further investigation of each war appeal recom- mended by the national committee. Thru a study of various economic factors, it was determined that Onondaga county's share in the total goals of each national war agency is 3/8 of 1 per cent. In like manner, Rochester's share is set at 3/4 of 1 per cent; Cincinnati, 1 per cent, etc., for nearly every community in the country. Another volunteer committee in Onondaga county, the distribution committee, headed by Harry W. Davies, has the responsible task of making sure that both local and national war agencies receive their fair share of the fund. In like manner, the volunteer budget committee of the Community Chest, with Aurie I. Johnson as chairman, determines the allotment to each of the 32 agencies that make up the Community Chest. This committee contributes countless hours of careful study to their task, which takes nearly four months of hard work. The fund raised in Onondaga county this year, $1,403,424, exceeded the goal set. The two sponsoring organizations of the campaign, the War Chest and Community Chest, agreed that the Community Chest agencies should not receive a sum in excess of the original quota, of $669,150. The war agencies already approved will likewise receive their Preservation quotas as originally set up. The remainder of the fund will be held in Copy hudget