13 Deficits

13 Deficits

At the Manhattan home of Clarence H. Mackay, 13 financial backers of 13 symphony orchestras were expected to gather on Feb. 2. Their common bond is an average annual deficit of $100,000.

From Manhattan comes Harry Harkness Flagler, backer of the New York Symphony Orchestra (Mr. Mackay is of the New York Philharmonic) ; from Los Angeles, W. A. Clark, Jr.; from Minneapolis, Elbert L. Carpenter; from Chicago, Charles H. Hamill; from Detroit, William H. Murphy; from Cincinnati, Mrs. Charles P. Taft; from Cleveland, Mrs. John L. Severance; from Rochester, home of the youngest of all big orchestras, George Eastman; from Philadelphia, Alexander van Rensselaer, acting for Edward W. Bok; from Boston, Judge Frederick P. Cabot, the successor of Major Lee Higginson. With them will come 13 business managers.

How to cut these deficits ? They will begin by effecting a "blue-sky" agreement on bidding for conductors. Seventy thousand dollars was offered last week to a conductor to come to New York. Such bidding can only result in vaster deficits. To devise a policy of "live and let live" is Mr. Mackay's purpose.

"Even with a full attendance at every concert," said Mr. Mackay (TIME, Nov. 12), "there would still be a considerable deficit."