The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-06

WILSON TO ATTEND
WAR BENEFIT HERE
President Will Be at Concert
for Blinded Italian
.. Soldiers.
ALPINI TO GIVE DRILL
Caruso Will Sing and Royal
Grenadiers Band Will
Play Saturday Night.
ALPINI TO GIVE DRILL

A letter from President Wilson prom
Using his presence. together with that OF
Mrs Wilson, at the Liberty Day concert
to be held Saturday night In the Metro
poIitan Opera House as a closing feature
Of Liberty Day and Columbus Day fes-
tivlties. and the proceeds OF which are
to 20 to Queen Marshertta's Fund for
the Blinded Soldiers of italy. were made
public last night by Robert Underwood
johnson. president OF the, New York COM
mittee Of the Italian War Relief Fund
OF America and the active chairman OF
the gala beneht performance. The
Presidents letter is as follows:
MY DEAR Mr.. JOHNSON May not
express my very sincere interest in
the plans you are making for the 18th
Of October7 They are in the interest
of a relief for which'I need not say
my sympathies are entirely enlisted.
and Mrs Wilson and I viii certainly
be present at the entertainment you
are planning. unless public business,
which do not now foresee. prevents.
Queen Dowaser . Patrone...
Mr.. johnson also made public yester-
day cabiegram received from the
lady in waiting to the Queen Dowager
OF Italy. under whose patronage, with
that OF Mrs Wilson. The benefit is to DO
held. The cablegram follows:
Her august Majesty communicates
she is very happy for this charitable
patriotic enterprise. which she appre-
ciates very much and for which she
wishes a very great success
CoLosIMo,
Secretary for the Colonies.
From the Italian Ambassador. Count
Macchi di Cellere, has come this mes
sage to Francesca Paolo Finoechiaro
who was largely instrumental in ar
ranging for the concert:
Am very happy to put the intended
concert under the auspices Of the
Ambassadress and myself.
MAccHI pI CELLERE
The programme is being actively d.
rected by GIulio Gatti-Casazza and
| Enrico Caruso. who Is honorary patron
Miss Elsa Maxwell is chairman OF the
| committee Of arrangements. In addition
10 the appearance of Caruso, Mabel Gar.
rlson. Mischa Elman, Adamo Didur and
Stgnora Mimi Auguglia, the Sicilian ac-
| tress, who will appear for the first time
| In English. Richard Ordinski is staging
a notable series OF historical tableaur
wants OF Italy. in which noted New
YORK women are to appear, among them
Mrs. Charles de Loosely Oelrichs. Mrs.
Bryce Wing. Mrs Felix Doubleday. Mr..
| Mitchell Henry. Mrs. Herbert Shipman.
Mrs. william Wright, Mrs Harry Oel-
r1chs, Mrs Jessie Castlemain, Mrs. Fred
erick Lewisohn. Miss Dorothy Fellowes
| Gordon. Lady Susan Fitz Clarence, Mrs
| Angler Duke, Mrs. Philip Bernhard and
Mrs. Lying Hoyt The most elaborate
| OF these tableaux will be one depicting
Columbus's discovery OF America
Italian Grenndfers Band to Play.
A feature to which especial interest
attaches will be the appearance of the
Royal Band of the Grenadier Guards of
sardinia, one of the most famous bands
OF Italy. which will be directed bv
| Maestro @. TardIti. the distinguished
italian composer. who has welded the
| baton for the famous organization for
| nearly twenty years
At the battles OF Montfalcone and
| Montelle In the present war the musi-
| clans of this band. through its heroic
action in throwing down their instru-
ments and selling rifles and hand gre
nades. became a symbol of herolsm 10
| All ialy. Many OF the musicians were
killed.
The veterans OF the Bersaglier, and
Aptni who are here for the Liberty
Loan. are to give a spectacular drill.
The Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra
and chorus under the direction OF Ro-
| berto Morazoni and Giulio Setti will
give the first hearing in America of
Verdrs Hymn of the Nations"
Seats will be placed on sale tomorrow
The boxholders already include Mrs
Z. T. Ssotesbury. Mrs Newbold lie Roy
Edgar, Consul-General and Nine Trl-
toni. William Solomon. Mrs. Paul D Cra-
vath and Mrs. George Du Pont Pratt
Otto II. Kahn Is the honorary chairman
OF the benefit There Is a distinguished
list of patronesses and many well known
women will act as programme girls.
| 1t Is the purpose to devote the pro-
ceeds entirely to the blinded soldiers OF
Italy, through the fund administered by
Queen Margherita.