Evening star., 1938-01-07
Velvet Ball
Continued From First Page.)

Mrs. John Boyle, jr, president of the
committee.
Behind the splendor of the gay
scenes last night in the grand
ballroom of the MayfoWer lay near
heart-breaking background Of mana
gerial strife, of unforeseen promo
ton expenses, of problems of social
precedence-even of somewhat dis
turbing inquiries by the Better Busi-
ness Bureau. Now that the ball is
over, some of these worries, which
at one time became so acute that
cancellation of the whole enterprise
was considered, can be revealed.
Most of the difficulties revolved
around the originator of the ball,
Jay Corbett, professional pro-
moter of charity events and similar
money-raising projects. Mr.. Corbett
personable and very energetic New
Yorker, bristling with Hollywoodian
ideas for getting publicity for velvet
IN the newspapers, magazines, news
reels and Whatnot, obtained Mrs.
Boyle's signature to a contract that
was to become a bitter bone of con-
tention
Linked With Velvet Dealers.
Under the contract, Mr. Corbett
was to promote the ball as managing
director" in cooperation with the
Velvet Guild, Inc, of New York,
headed by June Hamilton Rhodes, a
business woman who is said to be a
friend OF Mrs. Roosevelt. The Velvet
Guild, composed of leading dealers IN
fine velvets. is doing some promoting
of its oWn-chiefly of crush resist
ant guild velvets for 1888" according
to its advertisement in the ball pro-
gram.
Mr.. Corbett's contract called for
sale Of tickets to the ball for a min
imum of $6 each, of which Mr.. Cor
bett generously agreed to give So to
the Citizens Permanent Committee
and to retain 81 for himself Out of
the 81 he was to pay the Mayflower
sl5o for supper to be supplied the
holder of the ticket, and to defray all
other costs incident to the ball.
After the contract had been ap-
proved by several members of the
committee and signed by Mrs. Boyle,
It was discovered that it placed no
limit on the amount for which tickets
might be sold-although, under terms
Of the contract, Mr.. Corbett still
would be obliged to turn over to the
committee only So If somebody paid
$40 for a ticket, in other. words, the
children's lunch fund would get only
81. As a matter of fact, box tickets
were sold for $3.50 each, but whether
higher sums were charged could not
be learned today.
Ball Vigorously Promoted.
In the meantime Mr. Corbett wa
promoting the ball as few similar
balls have been promoted in Wash.
ington. He made arrangements with
the Velvet Guild to put on Velvet
Ball not only duplicating, but in many
respects eclipsing, that held some
time ago in Manhattan. He arranged
for a number of prominent merchant.
to stage style shows in connection
with the ball, the proceeds of such ad-
vertising to go to him. as per contract
Mrs. Helen Virginia Meyer, historica
costumer of New York, was engaged
at price that would make it worth
while-to stage pageant of model.
wearing reproductions of gowns wurT
by the wives of all the Presidents o.
the United States and by queens O
England.
In the midst Of the busy arrange
ments a local merchant inquired O.
the Better Business Bureau regarding
solicitation he had received TO con-
tribute an advertisement to the ball