The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-07
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

LeIS s get 10 WOrk ana leCS stay on ! the job until we get an auditorium. I know we have talked about it so much that to many 1t seems a joke after all the mishaps which have be- fallen our attempts to build it. ,
 My trip to Atlanta put new pep into me as an auditorium booster, for while attending the congress of the league of nations had plenty of time between acts to take note of the mann moth structure in which I was seated, and to plan to agitate the speedy con- struction of such an edifice on my re- turn home.
 The Atlantans have already received big dividends on their investment. am not speaking of it as a paying prop osition per SC, for about this feature of 1t I am not posted-but in a larger sense it has given to the community ment and instruction to make a profit able source of revenue in the things which make for happiness.
 
 The Atlanta auditorium may be ad- vantageously placed So far as access sibility is concerned when the city is taken as whole, but it is unfortunate- ly situated when it comes to having proper setting. The approach is most unattractive and the great structure has no plaza to show it up in proper manner
 It is a roomy affair. It can stage & horse show, a poultry exhibition or accommodate grand opera, but from it's very size it loses in beauty, for 1t would require fortune to give it an air of comfort or properly decorate 1t. But, you may say that an auditorium is not expected to compete in it's in- terior appointments with theatres, op- era houses and ordinary amusement halls. Just so, but from my viewpoint it is a mistake to construct an unat- tractive, barnlke building merely to handle once in every few years some unusually large convention.
 
 asked an Atlantan how many could be seated comfortably, and he answered "S7O0." Now. it is hardly possible to expect that any such au- dience room can have acoustic proper ties ideal enough for people to hear the average speaker from all parts of the hall. A Bryan or a Taft can pos- sibly get away with it. but it is sc- were test on the ordinary orator. Yet for it's size, the one in Atlanta is for- tunate in it's acoustics.
 I think 8 hall seating 5000 is prefer able to one which can hold double the ure and comfort on scores of occasions when the bigger one will be called into use only a few times in a series of years. The attendance at the league of nations was much greater than I had expected but there was a capacity crowd only on one occasion, and at most of the sessions, while the au- diences would have filled to overflow ing our churches or theatres, they could easily have been cared for on the ground floor. -.-s ~
 I have no figures as to the cost of the Atlanta auditorium, but am sure they would run up into the hundreds of thousands. If you have never been in it 1t is hard to realize just what huge affair it is. I may be a poor judge of architecture on such scale, but it seems to me that much space has been wasted and that the structure could have been condensed in a way to add to it's usefulness and certainly to it's beauty. may bring down upon my head the scorn of architects for daring to criticize such monument in brick and steel. but I am only setting down my impressions without the least bit of malice, although I may show my ignorance.
 I am not discountng what Atlanta has done in the way of an auditorium. for she is ahead of Birmingham in that she took time by the forelock and
 
 reaped the fruit of her sowing in that she has housed many conventions which otherwise would have sought other cities if she had failed to pre- pare place for them. This has ad- vertised her as a convention center and has brought much wealth to the bus- ness interests of the city.
 The great organ in the auditorium is a source of artistic pleasure to thousands of Atlantans who flock to the recitals. Just think of what an au- mingham for our community sings .when the weather drives the singers and crowds from Capitol park indoors! But at this late date there is little use to point out the pressing need and tho many advantages to be gained by the erection of an auditorium
 I may be running counter to the opinion of many. but have always be- lieved that the proper place for it would be in Capitol park. for if built there we would not make the mistake Atlanta made in erecting hers in poor surroundings and hid by unsightly buildings--but we would give it worthy back ground, and make it the crown and show place of Twentieth street and an ornament Nto the entire city.