Evening star., 1937-01-28
Measure Creating Commits
sion to Study Project |"
FavorabIy Reported.
LONERGAN PRESENTS
ALTERNATE PROPOSAL
Submits Plan for Combined Meet
ing Hall and Athletic Stadium
Seating 10000.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

AAC 4NObA44oO14 6A44p cNGbA4A6 up q W.
mission to plan a suitable auditoriu.
for the Capital, was ordered favorably
reported by the Senate Public Build
ings and Grounds Committee today
following a public hearing.
The idea Of planning the assembly
hall as a memorial to Thomas Jeffer-
son was favored by Secretary Of the
Interior Ickes during the hearing.
Before the hearing got under way.
Senator Lonergan, Democrat, Of Con-
necticut put forward new and sep
arate plan for combined auditorium
and athletic stadium capable Of &C
conmodating 10000, and announced
he was asking the District Comuis-
sioners for their views on such o
project.
II the city heads indicate their ap.
proval, he plans to discuss the SUBJ
ject further with members of Congress
who have auditorium bills in mind.
Senator Lonergan is a member Of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commits
sion, but made known several days
ago he believes the proposed audi
torium and the Jefferson Memorial
should be separate projects. Senator
Lonergan suggested the structure be
named the Roosevelt Building in honor
Of the President.
Others Stress Need.
In addition to Ickes, those who join.
ed in Stressing the need for a large
public gathering place at the hearing
were Majority Leader Robinson. au-
thor of the pending bill to set up a
commission to prepare plans and esti-
mates of cost; Representative Lanham
Of Texas, chairman of the House Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds Committee;
Representative Bloom Of New York,
vino outlined plans he had drawn
several years ago for an auditorium
here, and Charles Moore, chairman Of
the Fine Arts Commission.
Ickes, who was the first to bring the
auditorium project into the limelight
again after rain had drenched the out.
door inaugural ceremonies last week.
told the committee the Federal Gov
ernment should own and control the
auditorium, but that the Government
might accept contributions from local
business interests toward meeting the
cost.
1T would not be inappropriate to
give the business interests Of the city
an opportunity to contribute to the
cost, because good auditorium would
bring a great deal of business to the
city," said the Secretary.
The Secretary declared it ought to
be a beautiful monumental building,
and expressed hope ut would be dedt-
Gated to honest-to- God free speech"
Later he explained he meant free
speech as Jefferson regarded it.
Opposes Sports Events.
Previously the Secretary had said he
agreed with those who do not think
prize fights or six-day bicycle races
should be held in the proposed audi.
torium. When Senator Green, Demo-
crat, of Rhode Island asked the rea.
son for excluding sports, Ickes said:
Personally, would like to see it
made the Jefferson Memorial, and
I cannot envisage Jefferson interested
in prize fights or wrestling" AS the dis
cusSion continued, however, between
Ickes, Chairman Connally and Senator
Green, it was generally agreed that a
line could be drawn to permit certain
kinds Of athletic events, but not all.
Chairman Connally announced that
In approving the Robinson bill the
committee made only slight change
by authorizing the proposed commits
sion to report on how the auditorium
should be financed, as well as to rec
ommend its cost and suitable loca-
ton. Connally will place the measure
on the Senate calendar tomorrow.
After Chairman Lanham OF tho
House committee had made known he
is in sympathy with the auditorium
proposal, Senator Chavez, Democrat,
of New Mexico asked whether there
should be a local contribution to the
cost.
Not for City Alone.
Lanham said that is difficult ques-
ton to answer until the commission
begins its study. He said it should
be borne in mind, however, that this
would not be an auditorium for WASH
ington. but for the whole country. In
a strict sense, he said, it would not be
q municipal auditorium, but one for
the National Capital. He also pointed
out that, in order to preserve the re-
strictions Congress would want to place
around use of the structure, it would
be better to have It a Government
project.
Representative Bloom, who said he
could qualify as an expert on the
subject, recounted the steps he took
to have plans drawn for an auditorium
here following Roosevelt's first inau-
gural in 1888. He said the structure
he had in mind would cost about
$4,000, 900 and be so designed that
the National Guard could be drilling
on one floor, while some great musi-
clan was giving q concert In another
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