Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-10
Letters to The Star
Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address OF the
,Uriter, although it is permissible for q
,Driter knoaDn to The Star to use a
nom de plume. Please be brief.
A Reply to Orchestra Critic

To the Editor Of The Star
In q recent letter to The Star February 9,
i94s), Calmon Sporting takes issue with
the basic theme Of the National Symphonys
current sustaining fund drive. which he para
phrases as IAN ultimatum to the people Of
Washington that If contributions Of S165.OOo
are not received during the present drive, the
orchestra will be disbanded"
Mr.. Sporting has three principal criticisms
of this public appeal for funds to sustain the
Symphony: ID The board Of directors Of the
National Symphony solicits the public for con-
tributions while denying the public access to its
financial record ca The estimated budget for
next season, from which the sustaining fund
goal Is derived is based on q M-week season.
and the board refuses to discuss the pros and
cons Of shorter season to At less than ideal
budget" 90 The threat" Of its board to dis
band the orchestra If the full $165,000 goal is
not raised could be dissipated by the election
Of a new board.
To take up the last criticism first, the cur
rent board of directors was elected-as any
board is-by the membership Of the National
Symphony Orchestra Association, which is
comprised of some 1900 who have contributed
$25 or more year to the orchestra's sustain
ing fund. Presumably the board was elected
because the membership believed 1t would
carry out the memberships wishes and in ac-
cordance with the memberships traditional
policy.
Actually, the board Of directors has never
stated that it would disband the orches-
ira If the sustaining fund goal Of $780,
000 is not raised. The board announced that
II the full goal is not attained, all contributions
will be returned to the donors and all pledge
cards destroyed. It follows of course, that it
would be difficult but not impossible, to con-
tinue the orchestra under such circumstances.
That is as far as the board feels 1t has any
right to 90 without calling special meeting
Of the Orchestra Association membership.
In the eyes of the board, this announcement
constituted not threat, but a two-fold promise.
It Is q promise that with the present board,
the current high and painfully achieved stand
ards of the orchestra will not be lowered. The
Sl65 900 goal is the minimum that will sustain
them.
Promise by Board.
It is also promise by this board not to run
into unpaid defcits-for this reason: Since q
shortage Of revenue during the season could
stop the concerts "a calamity that verynearly
occurred this season., the attempt to operate
the National Symphony at cost greater than
its financial resources Is an undertaking which
the board feels is bad business, and not fair
to itself, the musicians, or the washington
public. Such an attempt could only be taken
against the boards recommendations, since its
wishes are for the continuance Of the orchestra
at its current standards.
If sufficient money to sustain the orchestra
is not received during the current campaign,
a special meeting of the membership will be
called, which will receive the boards recon-
mendations. If the wishes Of the membership
and of the board are at variance, the board
could with propriety, and probably should
resign.
AS to the public's access to the orchestral
financial status, the board feels that public
understanding of the finances Of the orchestra
is most desirable, since there have been as
many as 10000 individual contributors to the
sustaining fund in q single year. 1t was be-
cause sof this that a frank statement OF the
financial crisis confronting the orchestra was
made at the very outset of the present CAM
paign.
Every year the membership of the association
receives full financial report from the treas
urer at the annual meeting. This report is
based on those Of the auditor La Frentz
Co., as Of the end of each fiscal year, and OF
three other audit periods during the year
These reports are always open to inspection by
any one who wants to see them in addition
to being read at the annual meeting. Further
a complete estimate Of the budget for the
l948-l949 season, from which the $16500o sus.
tanning fund goal is derived, has been supplied
the press for publication.
The board feels justified In basing its i948'
40 budget on q 24-week season. The length
Of the orchestral season is most important
as important as the rate Of pay week to tn
season, since the longer the season, the create
the total pay. It is to the advantage OF tn
public as well: The shortening Of the season
causes the loss Of valuable musicians ant
creates large annual turnover in personnel
which in turn initiates against the mainte
nance Of the orchestra Of high caliber. Tn
length OF the season has necessarily peen tn
subject OF thorough estimate. inquiry, negotia
tton and solicitude. MILTON ". hiNG.
treasurer, National SYMPHONY ofonesfrs
Association.