Arizona republican., 1919-02-18
Where The People
 May Have a Hearing

A suitable meeting place for all pub lie gatherings has been a growing need in Phoenix ever since the Roosevelt moisture has practically driven the people from the desert to cover.
 An apropo suggestion might be copied from other cities. The memorial hall idea is prevalent in a hundred eastern points, to take the place of the statue. The arguments offered are practical. From an artists viewpoints statue is only a thing of artsti, criticism. Look. for example, at Der nard's Lincoln did any words. history or personal anecdotes ever have a tendency to turn one of the greatest men into joke more than this statue Ii must be n subject of criticism for the present generation because it sdf fers comparison. If it is on a tablet, and small, it is a disgrace to the com inu t<y, and if large it only suffers again by other statues which are larger.
 The memorial hall, while an old idea, yet Is one that will never invite critic ism. It is a gift to the public, for their comfort, pleasure and education. It will find many uses for gatherings that are now not even thought of because there are no places in Phoenix suit able for them
 Denver opened up one of the largest municipal halls in America last sum- mer. They have an organ costing around s60.000. and entertainment is l furnished to the public at nominal cost. 1 This does not interfere with the gen 1 eral run of pictures at all. It simply l takes care of the thousands who sell 1 dom go out. At first thought all the | entertainment --" nagers feel that their | rights are being appropriated by the clty' but just stop and figure it out: / PhoenlX draws to about 25,000 people. Take a Sunday night. for instance we might say that all the movie shows ia | Phoenix take care of about 5000 or 10. - ! 600 people for that day. What does the other 15O00 do? Stay at home. of ] course. Many cannot go out. it is true, but large memorial hall wouh proh- ably take care of half or two-thirds Of this number. So there is no con- petition.
 Look at our receptions to prominent visitors. Everything has to be held out If doors, generally beneath the rays ot hot sun and no seat accommoda- : uons or, a sand storm. or a rain, or in other words we trust to God" in q country God forgot as the quota tions run.
 A massive. finely built memorial hall 1 10 cover a whole city block. equipped with every modern convenience, will be not only a great benefit to the city, county and state. but vii lgive all a certain prestige that will bring to us the greatest political and most desir < able entertainers of the day. Did you ever think of accommodations. How would you feel if you were on a com mlttee to invite President Wilson 10 visit Phoenix, and after he arrived you took him to an old antiquated run down hotel? Fortunately we could take care of him in this respect very nicely. put Tor the main reason of his com ing. to hear him talk, we could only offer him the meanest accommodations Tn hall. the thing he really prefers right. and which all speakers want right.
 A memorial hall with the names of all the Arizona heroes who gave their lives for us. inscribed on the arch would be a fitting thing that would last and never be forgotten Let us get busy. Will not the committee or the Frank Luke, Jr., memorial con- slider this suggestion as an amendment 10 their worthy bill now before tho legislature? BY F. II.