Evening star., 1937-11-08
ALLEN TO DIRECT
BIRTHDAY PLANS IN
PARALYSIS FIGHT.
Commissioner Goes to New
York to Confer After :
Appointment.
PRESIDENT IND0RSES
DISPOSAL OF FUNDS
Money Will Go Direct to National
Foundation Instead of to
Warm Springs Direct.

appointment OI MI. AlleIl Dy htllll
Morgan, chairman of this committee,
places him in a position of RESPONSE
bility as director of a committee con-
sisting of nationally known figures
in the world of industry and finance
who will head the celebration this
year for the whole country.
The Commissioner was in New York
today comforting with members of the
committee, including W. Averell Har-
riman of New York, Walter j. Cum
mings, Chicago; Fred j. Fisher and
Edsel B. Ford, Detroit, and S. Clay
Williams, Winston-Salem, N. c.
Mr. Allen had attracted attention
by his activities last year as head of
the local committee for the Presidents
Birthday Ball.
New Plan Explained.
The announcement from the White
House outlined the position of Presi-
dent Roosevelt approving the use of
his birthday for the purpose. and ex-
planned the new set-up this year for
handling the Nationwide celebration.
Mr. Roosevelt will be SIS on January
80.
This year the Chief Executive "has
given his birthday to the new National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis"
formation of which Mr. Roosevelt an
nounced on September %. Commits
sioner Allen is one of the trustees of
this organization.
Plans for the local celebration will
be developed after Commissioner
Allen returns from New York, it was
learned today. 1t is understood that
committee mostly from his office here
in Washington, but will have to make
frequent trips to New York for the
purpose. He may also head the group
in charge of the local celebration again
this year, although decision on this
point remains to be made.
Funds this year, according to plans
approved by the President and the
Georgia Warm Springs Foundation,
will go to the new National Founda-
ton for Infantile Paralysis, instead of
to the Warm Springs Foundation
direct.
1890 Plan Changed.
The White House announcement
said the President also had indorsed
these recommendations and felt that
changing the 70-30 per cent plan of
distribution, used in the last three
celebrations, whereby all of the money
is to be given to the new National
Foundation, would be of great bene-
fit to those communities unduly
pressed by the accumulation of those
afflicted"
In letter to Basil O'Connor of
New York, treasurer of the Georgia
Warm Springs Foundation. President
Roosevelt outlined his position and
reasons for the change in plans for
1888. as worked out in cooperation
with the Warm Springs Foundation.
In this letter, the President said in
part:
"As you know, I am very much
interested in the steps that are being
taken to perfect the organization of the
new National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis, about which made public
announcement on September % of this
year.
''As I said in that statement, it is
the desire of every one interested in
this cause that the work of the new
foundation be carried forward as ex-
peditiously as possible. Nevertheless,
we al realize that plans of such i'm
portance and magnitude must at the
same time be worked out carefully and
soundly, and that undue haste may be
as fatal to the cause as delay. To
pick the personnel of the new founda-
ton wisely and to project it's purposes
properly must of necessity consume
some time.
New Foundation Responsible.
Against this is the fact, as stated
on September %, that it is my opinion
that all fund raising should be under
the control and supervision of the new
foundation, including the activity for
raising money in connection with the
celebration of my birthday anniversary
in January, 1888. Heretofore we have
for one reason or another, over which
no one had control, always been
crowded for time in which to make
arrangements for properly permitting
the public to participate in those
occasions for the benefit of the cause
of infantile paralysis. You have ad-
vised me that if the plans for that
event in 1888 are delayed until the
perfection of the organization of the
new foundation, we will again find
ourselves handicapped by lack of
time in making the proper arrange
ments for the 1888 birthday anniver-
sary celebration.
I'm these circumstances, and in view
of the fact that the past birthday
anniversary celebrations have to a
very large extent been organized and
supervised by individuals officially
connected with Georgia Warm Springs
Foundation, feel that we should not
take any chance of delay, particularly
| in view of the much larger work to
be done by the new foundation.
IT therefore wish that, as an officer
of Georgia Warm Springs Founda-
ton, you would undertake to define
and carry out plans for the 1888
celebration The funds received from
that occasion will, of course, go to
the new foundation, and when it's or
ganization is complete it will take
over the supervision of that event as
we'll as any other Embarrassing ac-
tivity."
In again defining the general pur-
pose OF the new foundation, the Chief
Executive said:
This foundation will lead, direct
and unity the fight on every phase of
this sickness. 1t will make every
effort to insure that every responsible
research agency in this country Is ade-