The Washington times., 1922-06-08
TlDO Great Projects for
WASHINGTON
BY BILL PRICE.

As the Washington Auditorium Committee Is
slowly but surely closing up its subscriptions
to the great auditorium that will unquestion-
ably make Washington THE Convention City
of the United States, comes the announcement
that ground is soon to be broken for an $8,000,-
600 hotel on Connecticut avenue hotel the
equal of anything in the United States.
Well may these two things inspire Washing
tonians to the fullest extent and give them
glimpse of the future greatness of their beloved
city.
The erection of the auditorium will mean
that thousands of the corntry's leaders in bust
ness, science, industry, art, politics, all phases
of successful national life, will come to Wash
ington each year to hold their national conven-
tions, to give exhibitions or expositions or to
stage the latest and greatest in the operatic or
theatrical world.
The addition Of a magnificent new hotel to
the fine hotels we now boast will be only too
necessary to care for the visitors who will flock
to this city, leaving millions of dollars in every
line of business activities, and carrying away
impressions of the Nations Capital that will be
of immense value to Washington in the future.
1t will be propitious day when, simultan-
eously, there arise these two important build
ings. The wonderful new hotel will be vel
coined because it will tend to bring here people
of power and fortune who may later become cit
izens of the worlds most beautiful city.
The convention hall project is too near def
mite success to fall through now. Less than
100000 of stocks and bonds remain to be sub
scribed for. This is truly civic movement
that should have behind it every publc-spirited
citizen, every Washingtonian with grain of
love for his city.
The auditorium movement is not one of char
ity-not call to subscribe money wholly as a
matter of civic pride The coolest sort of calcu-
lation by financial experts reveals that every
subscriber to stock will net per cent on his
investment yearly and that the bonds will pay
per cent. Estimates of receipts and expendi-
lures apparently leave no doubt of the firian-
cia success of the undertaking, not to consider
the vast amount of money that will be left in
the city to make its way through every channel
of business.
He is not patriotic Washingtonian who cal
culates the direct benefits he may or may not
get out of the auditorium, and subscribes, or
does not subscribe, on this basis This city has
accommodating the largest national conven-
tions, and civic pride alone should be sufficient
to justify every energetic Washingtonian in
contributing to the enterprise, even if he felt
that there would be no return upon his invest
ment
The word must not 60 out that the people
of this city are so entirely devoid of civic
pride, of love of their beautiful city, that
they will not subscribe to the construction Of
the one building that promises to bring meal
culable benefits to the community.
Years ago the wide-awake citizens of At
lanta, Ga, spontaneously subscribed to the
erection of an auditorium that made the Geor-
gia city the convention place of the South The
money was raised without a thought as to pos
sible returns
Washington stands out -eminently as the
nations show city, the place to which Amerl-
cans turn in deepest interest and concern The
big auditorium will bring them here in legiens
to know more of their Capital The most gen
erous spender in the world is the American
Mot oupbf 10 foil itS Sto 10