Evening star., 1940-05-15
Symphony Drive Lags
Among U. 5. Worker.
And Businessmen
$107. 500 Required
To Assure Concerts
Here Next Season

An appeal to AL Government
workers and to business and profess
sional men Of Washington to sup
port the National Symphony Or
chestera's 10th annual sustaining
fund campaign during its last two
days has been made by the heads Of
the Government and Of the Business
and Professional Committees-Ed-
ward J. Noble, Undersecretary Of
Commerce, and John Rowland Hill.
The drive, Of which A. r. e. Horn
Is general chairman, Is scheduled to
close at noon tomorrow, by which
time $107 900 must be raised II the
orchestra is to continue next season.
Reason for the appeal Is that dur
ing the first six days Of the drive
the Government Committee OBJ
tanned only "a per cent Of its quota,
and the business and professional
group raised only 35.41 per cent Of
its quota. Both these amounts are
considerably below those raised by
the other seven committees soliciting
funds for the orchestra.
Federal Worker Urged to Help.
Urging the Government worker
TO help his committee raise its part
OF the sustaining fund, Mr.. Noble
said today. The Government work
er is apt to consider himself q non
resident Of Washington and conse-
quently immune to appeals Of civic
nature. But the National Sym
phony, both through its concerts in
Constitution Hall and particularly
through its summer concerts at the
Water Gate, contributes so greatly
to the enjoyment of the Government
worker while he is in Washington
that he can Ill afford to neglect its
present need"
Although the commercial value
to Washington Of the National
Symphony Orchestra has been
pointed out throughout the drive,
Mr.. Hill said today he was frankly
disappointed In the response from
business men to the orchestra's ap-
peal for funds.
The fact remains that the pres
ence Of q major symphony orches-
ira here is great factor in attract
ing both tourists and residents to
Washington. It's true, too, that the
National Symphony gives employ
ment to 80 musicians, and that the
National Symphony Orchestra AS
sociation actually spends more than
100000 with Washington enter
prises each year. I can't believe
that these important facts will con-
tinue to be ignored. I hope that
they won't be and that the Business
and Professional Committee will
make better showing at the final
report luncheon on Thursday"
Vice Chairmen Active.
Mr.. Hill is assisted in his work
with the Business and Professional
Committee by four vice chairmen:
Ruby A. Black, Margaret A. Black
istone, Bert M. Sarazan and James
W. Hardey.
An elaborate organization has been
set up by the Government commit
tee for the receiving of contribu-
tions. The 16 vice chairmen under
WAL ANOO4C Oh e oCA4 4M. Sl1C1 A1SVO1l,
chief Of the Division Of Cultural Re-
lations, and Mrs. Ruth B. Shipley,
chief of the Passport Division, De-
partment Of State; Edward L. Foley,
jr, general counsel, Depart
ment Of the Treasury; Louis
johnson, Assistant Secretary Of the
War Department.: Francis j. Biddle,
Solicitor General, Department of
Justice: J. Austin Latimer, executive
assistant to the Postmaster General;
Lewis Compton, Assistant Secretary
Of the Navy; Oscar L. Chapman, AS
sistant Secretary Of the Interior; w.
w. Stockberger, special adviser to
the Secretary, and M. L. Wilson, di-
rector Of extension work, Depart
ment of Agriculture: Malcolm Ker-
lin, administrative assistant to the
Secretary Of Commerce; Miss
Frances Perkins, Secretary Of Labor:
Mary E. Switzer, assistant to ad.