Evening star., 1939-03-08
Orchestra Association
To Adjust Season 10
100000 Fund
Sanction Of Subscribers
And Union for 23-Week
Plan Sought

After failure to reach its Sill 900
goal, the National Symphony Or
chestra Association today was faced
with ee-fold task to maintain
the level reached this season instead
of going into next years extended
schedule.
Final pledges brought the orches-
ira fund to $1O3,2727 which is
slightly more than the amount raised
last year. When the orchestra as
sociation met last night in the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States pledges amounted to $10l,-
1898. After considerable discussion
it was agreed that the $4,000 needed
to meet the quota could not be raised
by March Is, the deadline to sign
contract with the musicians.
AS the next best thing it was voted
to work for 100000 and cut two
weeks off the proposed 25-week sea-
son next year. This was done after
those present agreed to sign at least
$40 pledges to reach the amount
used during the season just con-
cluding
Requires Sanction.
This action caused complications,
as the pledge note says if the $ll1.-
900 is not raised the money would be
returned. The Campaign Commit
tee today started work to notify all
contributors that they may waive
the stipulation in favor of the cur
tailment or ask refund.
L. Corrin Strong. vice chairman
Of the association, who presided at
the meeting in the absence of DR..
William Mcclellan, president, pre-
dicted that few if any of the sub
scribers would recall their money.
Representative of the musicians
union handling negotiations for the
orchestra present at the meeting
said they felt some arrangement
could be found satisfactory to their
men. All contract differences had
been worked out and the 25-week
schedule accepted instead Of this
years 23-week engagement. Last
nights association action forces
new negotiations.
The union men, though unable to
speak officially, said they thought an
extension on the deadline could be
arranged provided it was reason
able" Negotiations for the delay
and the curtailed season will begin
as soon as the union and association
officials agree on a meeting.
$500 Pledge Plan Dropped.
Mrs. Edna Ellis Hilton, during the
discussions, offered $500 pledge in
an effort to stimulate action to
reach the original goal. She asked
for 10 more to go along with her in
similar pledges. This, however,
finally was passed over in favor of
the smaller sum. In the final vote
Mrs. Hilton stood for the Sill 900
amount.
Mr.. Strong said that if the sub
scribers agreed to stand for the cur
tailed season the orchestra would
be kept at its full strength of 80
players. If through pledge with
drawals 1t was found the $103,00O
fund would be greatly reduced, he
said, the only thing left would be
abandonment of attempts to main
tain the National Symphony Or
chestra as part of Washington music
and civic life.
After the meeting Mr.. Strong sent
q letter explaining the associations
action and asking reconsideration by
the union to A. c. Hayden, president
of the Musicians Protective Union.
which said, in part:
Il am now authorized to ask the
officers of the Musicians Protective
Union whether the musicians under
these circumstances will voluntarily
agree to a contract calling for %
weeks of services and under the
other conditions of the present con-
tract. In that case the estimated
operating deficit for full orchestra
of 80 men would be 100000, the
same as the amount subscribed for
the present season. If the muSi-
clans thus cooperate it may be
possible for the association to con-
tinue the orchestra, otherwise not.
IF $103 900 is subscribed in time
the association, with the approval
of the subscribers, could retain and
use that amount through the vol
untary action of the musicians and
the union, which would alone permit
the reduction of the estimated ex-
pense. The association believes that
it cannot continue with less than
first-rate orchestra OF 80 men, and
so it could not go on next year with
less than that, but under the con-