Paul French

executive director of CARE (Cooperative for American Remittances to Everywhere)

March 19, 1903 (age 57)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

For twelve years he was a reporter with the former Philadelphia Record and the United Press. From 1937 to 1941 he served as Pennsylvania director of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration (renamed the Works Projects Administration in 1939). Committed to pacifism, upon the outbreak of World War II French edited Common Sense Neutrality (1939). The following year he wrote We Won't Murder. Both books helped present the viewpoint of conscientious objectors. In the fall of 1940 French organized--under the aegis of the Society of Friends and several other churches--the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, of which he was named executive secretary (1940 - 1946). During the war he worked closely with top selective service officials and organized and administered various work projects--forestry operations, service in mental and general hospitals--for conscientious objectors. His pamphlet Civilian Public Service (1943) describes the work of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors. In October 1946 French was requested to make a survey for CARE's board of directors, who were seeking ways to make the new agency's services more effective. His excellent recommendations for the streamlining of operations led to his appointment as CARE's second executive director on March 31, 1947. CARE, then the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe, had been organized in the fall of 1945 to provide a channel for aid to European war victims. Twenty-six American welfare organizations formed a nonprofit agency through which food packages could be sent to recipients in Europe. When French joined CARE, it was offering only army ration surpluses. Under his supervision, CARE began assembling its own packages with contents ranging from textiles, food, and books, to farming and hand tools. He developed a broader general relief program in addition to deliveries for designated relatives or friends of donors. He expanded the delivery area from Europe to Asia, the Far East, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, thereby changing the E of CARE to signify "Everywhere. " To increase public support, French set up local CARE offices in major American cities and opened donor facilities in Canada as well as in Europe and Latin America. CARE became truly an international program. In the closing years of his administration French spurred development of CARE's self-help programs, which enabled improverished peoples to improve their living conditions. French visited more than fifty countries and talked and consulted with countless people regarding CARE programs. He twice testified before the Agricultural Committee of the House of Representatives, urging that farm surpluses be made available to American private relief agencies for use overseas. Although he took pride in the efficiency with which CARE did its job and the recognition it won him, French's real interest lay in the humanitarian aspect of the organization. His overriding concern was to get aid and the means of reconstruction to the people who needed it most. A tennis player in early life, French later relaxed by reading biographies and history. French claimed that he bought about three books a week and that he smoked a pipe and approximately six cigars a day. In 1955 French retired to his home in Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he died.

Paul Comly French

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executive director of CARE (Cooperative for American Remittances to Everywhere)

Background

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Harry S. French, a farmer and mechanic, and Gertrude Comly.

Education

He stuided and then left the Northeast High School in Philadelphia in 1922.

Career

For twelve years he was a reporter with the former Philadelphia Record and the United Press.

From 1937 to 1941 he served as Pennsylvania director of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration (renamed the Works Projects Administration in 1939). Committed to pacifism, upon the outbreak of World War II French edited Common Sense Neutrality (1939).

The following year he wrote We Won't Murder. Both books helped present the viewpoint of conscientious objectors.

In the fall of 1940 French organized--under the aegis of the Society of Friends and several other churches--the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, of which he was named executive secretary (1940 - 1946).

During the war he worked closely with top selective service officials and organized and administered various work projects--forestry operations, service in mental and general hospitals--for conscientious objectors. His pamphlet Civilian Public Service (1943) describes the work of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors.

In October 1946 French was requested to make a survey for CARE's board of directors, who were seeking ways to make the new agency's services more effective. His excellent recommendations for the streamlining of operations led to his appointment as CARE's second executive director on March 31, 1947.

CARE, then the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe, had been organized in the fall of 1945 to provide a channel for aid to European war victims. Twenty-six American welfare organizations formed a nonprofit agency through which food packages could be sent to recipients in Europe.

When French joined CARE, it was offering only army ration surpluses.

Under his supervision, CARE began assembling its own packages with contents ranging from textiles, food, and books, to farming and hand tools. He developed a broader general relief program in addition to deliveries for designated relatives or friends of donors.

He expanded the delivery area from Europe to Asia, the Far East, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, thereby changing the E of CARE to signify "Everywhere. "

To increase public support, French set up local CARE offices in major American cities and opened donor facilities in Canada as well as in Europe and Latin America. CARE became truly an international program. In the closing years of his administration French spurred development of CARE's self-help programs, which enabled improverished peoples to improve their living conditions.

French visited more than fifty countries and talked and consulted with countless people regarding CARE programs.

He twice testified before the Agricultural Committee of the House of Representatives, urging that farm surpluses be made available to American private relief agencies for use overseas.

Although he took pride in the efficiency with which CARE did its job and the recognition it won him, French's real interest lay in the humanitarian aspect of the organization.

His overriding concern was to get aid and the means of reconstruction to the people who needed it most.

A tennis player in early life, French later relaxed by reading biographies and history.

French claimed that he bought about three books a week and that he smoked a pipe and approximately six cigars a day.

In 1955 French retired to his home in Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he died.

Achievements

In 1947 French became executive director of CARE after having served as general manager for several months. CARE (originally "Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe", and later "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere"), was founded in 1945 with the idea to secure financial backing for overseas food relief packages for a devastated Europe. The relief came in "CARE Packages", which were U. S. Army surplus 10-in-1 food parcels left over from the planned U. S. invasion of Japan. The service let Americans send the packages to friends and families in Europe. Each CARE Package cost $10 and was guaranteed to reach its addressee within four months. In 1955 Paul French left CARE and founded a new non-profit organization called World. Inc.

Religion

He was reared in the tenets of the Society of Friends, which emphasized service to others as the only proper and right way of life.

Views

Quotations: In a letter to the New York Times (August 18, 1950) he wrote: "I am convinced that the world cannot have peace and security while people are hungry. "

Membership

He was reared in the tenets of the Society of Friends, which emphasized service to others as the only proper and right way of life.

Interests

He once stated that he had two "extravagances, " books and tobacco.

Connections

On October 18, 1925, French married Marie Ann Kerr. They had two children. On November 2, 1946, two years after his wife's death, French married Dorothy Felton.

Father:: Harry S. French
1st wife:: Marie Ann Kerr
2nd wife:: Dorothy Felton

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Paul French

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Paul Comly French

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