Evening star., 1940-01-29
$4,000 Realized
From Film Benefit
For Finnish Aid
Public Is Thanked;
| Press Is Praised
| For Assistance

More than SIS 900 was realized for
the Finnish Relief from Saturday
nights benefit performance of Gone
With the Wind" at the Palace
Theater, it was announced today by
the Rev. DR.. Edmund A. Walsh, S. j.,
chairman of the Washington Unit OF
the Finnish Relief Fund, Inc.
Throughout the country, funds for
Finnish relief, raised mostly by the
press, have totaled s305 ,525, 1t was
announced by former President
Hoover, national chairman of the
fund.
The District press was credited by
Mr.. Hoover's national report as hav-
ing turned in Sl40, but of course this
is in addition to the fund of more
than $4,000 raised by the movie
benefit.
In additio nto the movie benefit,
it was explained, great deal OF
money contributed in Washington
/ had been turned over to the local
committee and had not yet been
cleared through to the national
committee.
In a statement, Father Walsh said
the benefit performance was a COM
plete sell-out. Some few returns
are vet to come in," he said, but
the amount on hand Sunday permits
me to give the figure I have named.
In addition, the price OF the entire
seating capacity of the house was
paid at the very outset by a friend
of humanity. Hence, nothing is to
be deducted from the receipts OF
last evening""
Public Thanked for Aid.
THE authorities of the Finnish
relief fund thank again the public
of Washington for this fine contribu-
ton" he said. Those who were
present Saturday night, as well as
those who gave back their tickets
for resale, will be happy to know
that their dollars were at work IN
Finland binding up the wounds from
air raids and shelling OF innocent
children even before the audience
was seated in the Palace Theater
The chairman of the Washington
unit had taken his courage in his
hands and dispatched an initial sum
of $4,000 a week ago, as he was
confident of the solid support OF
friends of Finland in this city.
Last Saturday evening furnished
impressive evidence not only of the
great heart that beats at the Ma
tions Capital, but also demonstrates
the power of united action and
prompt cooperation among men and
women who still preserve freedom.
Numerous other projects sug-
gested by many friends will not be
developed. The secretary of the
Washington unit, Milton M. Brown,
left for New York Immediately after
the performance Saturday night,
and will be in consultation there
with the national headquarters on
future progress.
California Papers Lead.
Mr.. Hoover, in his statement,
given to the Associated Press in
New York City, said that because
of cooperation of the press, cit was
possible to almost overnight begin
meeting the emergency for which
the Finnish Relief Fund was or
ganized."
California papers led those Of all
States, he said, with contributions
totaling $73,5o1. Pennsylvania was
second, with $39,074, New York third.
with 1900. The Pittsburgh POST
Gazette raised $19,427 of Pennsyl-
vania's total.
Newspaper contributions from
other States included:
Arizona, $500; Colorado, Still;
Idaho, $638; Illinois, $4,000; Indiana,
1882; Iowa, $1,271; Kansas, $1,767;
Kentucky, S140; Maryland, s1,093;
Michigan, $4,215; Minnesota, $5,974;
Missouri, $5,941; Montana, $2,715;
Nebraska, $2,261; Nevada, $3,512;
New Jersey, $4,000; New Mexico,
$348: North Dakota, $357; Ohio, $17,-
O03; Oklahoma, $4.447; Oregon, 1888;
South Dakota, $707; Texas, $19,270;
Utah, $2,868; Washington, $5,985;
West Virginia, $8l; Wisconsin, $4,-