Evening star., 1942-04-28
Symphony Campaign
Extended 10 Days 10
Raise Final 41,7M
S72,239 Pledged So
Far Comes From Only
2.704 Supporters

A To-day extension of the National
Symphony Orchestra's annual sus-
tanning fund drive was announced
yesterday after final reports on the
first 10 days of campaigning had left
the total still Sal ,7so.o7 shy of its
sf140O0 goal. The next meeting of
committees will be held May 8.
Yesterdays reports, submitted at
session at the Mayfiower Hotel,
raised the total TO s72 ,239 %. or 634
finance the orchestra during Its
io42-3 season.
X. r. Finkenstsedt, campaign
chairman. said after the meeting he
was convinced the drive will succeed.
Il think the money Is here-its
Just case of going and getting it,"
he added.
Only 2.704 Pledges.
In support OF his conviction, the
chairman pointed out that the sum
raised so far in this seasons cam
paign was divisible into only 2,704
pledges, while the fund raised In
last years drive was given by ap-
proximately 10000 persons.
AS another factor to lend en-
couragement In .he effort, j. p.
Hayes, manager of the National
Symphony Orchestra, called atten-
tion In a brief talk TO the fact that
the total at this period of last years
drive was only so per cent of its
goal, or more than Is per cent
behind the total so far in the cur
rent campaign.
For the first time since the initia.
reports were made week before last,
the Metropolitan Committee fell be-
hind yesterday In the percentage of
its quota already raised. With 229
pledges amounting to $46,214 in
hand and a quota of $50, 100, it was
two-tenths of a point short of the
percentage of the Army Committee,
which had raised $1,568.44, or 78.4
per cent OF a $4,000 quota.
The Associations Committee, with
a goal Of $1,000, was In third place.
1t had 36l pledges, totaling $4131,
or SO per cent of its allotted fund.
Other Totals.
Other totals follow:
Orchestra Guild, $11 900 quota, 523
pledges, s6.323.70, or STA per cent;
Suburban Committee, $4,000 quota,
32l pledges, $2,235.78. or $50 per
cent; Navy, So, 400 quota, 174 pledges,
81 ,83l.27, or 53.8 per cent; Business
and Professional, $4,000 quota, 2ol
pledges. s6,67350, or ATT per cent;
Education, $4,000 quota, 161 pledges,
sl,245.75, or 27.7 per cent, and Gov
ernment, $4,000 quota, 5l4 pledges,
$2.016.49. or 22.4 per cent.
Mrs. Charles Bittinger, chairman
of the Orchestra Guild Committee.
made a plea yesterday for the pub
lie to return pledge cards distrib-
utter during the drive. She report
ed that approximately 1900 still are
outstanding.
DR.. Hans Kinder, conductor of
the National Symphony, told the
committee workers In a brief ad-
dress that the argument used by
some potential contributors that "a
war now is in progress, and we
haven't time for the orchestra"
makes him very impatient"
Points to Morale.
This war has been a war of omis-
sions on the part of the Allies" he
said. There is such a thing as
morale How would you like it If the
German Embassy staff, which will
leave for home in two more weeks,
were to go back to Berlin and re-
port that the American Capitals
orchestra had been put out of COM
mission?"
The conductor reported that he
had received q s100 contribution
from man in Canada who said
in letter explaining the gift that
'he thought it would be a good thing
If you and your orchestra keep on
coming to Canada"
DR.. Kinder cited that the box
office aggregation last year was the
largest in the history of the or
chestra and explained that the
increase had been due to defense
workers now in Washington. He
urged the committees to contact
newcomers in the city as well as
the other 1000 of last years con-
tributors who have not yet been in
cluded in reports.
Among guests of honor at the
luncheon were Mrs Nicholas Long
worth and Mrs Robert Patterson.