Evening star., 1942-11-17
President Authorizes
Birthday Celebration
In Paralysis Drive
Tells O'Connor Thut
Fight on Disease Is
Port Of Main Struggle

President Roosevelt has author
5ed the celebration of his birthday
anniversary in January for the an
nual fund-raising drive to fight
against infantile paralysis. it was
announced today by Basil O'Connor,
president of the National Founda-
ton for Infantile Paralysis.
In reply to letter from Mr..
O'Connor regarding the drive and
authorizing the celebration of his
birthday anniversary by the founda-
lion to raise funds, President Roose-
Velt declared a continued fight
against infantile paralysis essential.
even as part of the war effort
itself. He wrote:
I feel, as you do, that any inter-
ruptlon in this work would be ex-
tremely inadvisable unless absolute
ly necessary. More than that, also
think that such fight as that being
Waged against infantile paralysis
or any other as yet uncontrolled
dlsease is an essential part of the
main struggle in which we all are
engaged-a struggle to make to-
morrow's world a better world in
which to live.
Must Preserve Health.
while we fight this global war,
we must see to it that the health
OF our children is preserved and
protected so that they may enjoy
that better world-for tomorrow's
America will be as strong as today's
children. We must help them win
their victory over disease today.
"As I have said in the past and
repeat noW-nothing is closer to my
heart than the health of our bows
and girls and young men and young
women. = me it is one of the front
lines OF our National defense.
L feel scrnngly therefore," said
the letter, that the work of the
National Foundation must be con-
tinued and I am happy to have it
use my birthday in it's 1943 fund
raising drive"
The President closed by wishing
MI. O'Connor best wishes for sue
cessful campaign"
In his letter to President Roose-
velt, Mr.. O'Connor stated that the
foundation has enlisted the finest
minds in the country for its work
in scientific research and has sup
ported them in their efforts to con-
Quer the disease.
Big Sums Supplied.
In the field of treatment of those
who have been afflicted by infan-
tile paralysis, the foundation has
spared no money to care properly
for them, Mr.. OConnor, stated.
The aid is given, it was explained,
through the foundations chapters
which now cover 1900 counties of
the United States. In turn, the aid
is made available, he said, to all who
are in need of it, regardless of age.
creed or color.
Mr.. OConnor said the demands
on the foundation become greater
each year and the amount which
1t spends for research constantly
increases. For the fiscal year ended
September 80, 1912, the National
Founda ton made grants and ap-
preparations totaling $1,152,19117,
which, except for the year 1912, ex-
ceeds the amount the National
Foundation has received in any
one year as a result of the Nation
wide celebrations, he wrote Presi-
dent Roosevelt. He pointed out
that the increased need for funds
Is due to the fact that the founda-
tion's very existence has stimulated
additional research in important
fields that otherwise could not have
been explored. He said he believed
it would be great mistake to per-
NIT a lapse in the work which the
President had sponsored and which
had been going on intensively for
10 years.