Evening star., 1937-02-04
AUDITORIUM BILL
EXPECTED TOPASS
HOUSE UNOPPOSED
Lanham to Seek Action
When Trade Treaty Is
Out of Way.
COMMITTEE FAVORS
SENATE MEASURE
Creates Commission to Study
Question and Make Report
to Congress.
BY WILL 2. KENNEDY.

The bill, already passed by the
Senate to create a commission 10
study the need, sites. uses and meth
ods of financing a national audito-
rum in Washington, is expected to
be passed by the House by unanimous
consent late tomorrow.
Chairman Lanham of the House
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds announced i'll the House to-
day that he will endeavor to get this
action when the House completes con-
sideration of the bill to extend the
reciprocal trade treaty power of the
President. He said that he does not
anticipate any opposition.
The House committee yesterday
unanimously approved the Senate
measure with an amendment increas-
ing the membership of the proposed
commission from three to five men,
berS. so as to include the ranking Re-
publican on the Senate and House
Public Buildings Committees. The
bill as it passed the Senate would
create a commission composed OF
Secretary of Interior Ickes and tie
chairmen of the Senate and House
Public Buildings Committees. This
commission is to study the entire
auditorium question and make re-
port to Congress.
Warning that the business interests
Of the Capital must not be given by
the Federal Government an advan-
tage over other cities in attracting
conventions through the proposed
national auditorium was given at the
hearing yesterday.
Would Avoid Advantage.
Lanham made this point clear-in-
dicating that the Federal Government
might properly bear the entire cost of
the proposed auditorium and restrict
its use. so that it should not give the
local municipality an unfair advan-
tage. This argument was supported by
several other members of the commit
tee, 1t was advanced particularly
while Arthur B. Heaton, chairman of
the Building Committee of the Wash
ington Board of Trade, was a witness.
The committee members made 1t plain
that already protests have been re-
ceived from a number of other large
cities.
Other Organizations Cited.
W. H. Press, assistant secretary OF
the Washington Board Of Trade, laid
before the committee a long list Of
organizations that would like to hold
annual meetings in Washington if an
adequate auditorium is provided.
Chairman Lanham, while explaining
that such questions are to be con-
sidered by the proposed commission
regarding the uses to which the audi
torium would be put, the method of
financing. etc, said there is no reason
municipal auditorium to give this
city sn advantage over other cities
where the auditorium is paid for by
the city and business interests. There
is a very definite need for Federal
auditorium for Federal and national
and even international gatherings. 1t
should be a dignified building for
dignified purposes, not open to van
dalism. and must be carefully
guarded"
He warned against conflict through
Joint ownership by the Federal Gov
ernment and municipal interests. 1t
had been pointed out by other wit
nesses that representatives from other
nations in coming to this country for
international conventions, had diff
Guilty in understanding why they had
to travel to Chicago or some other
city than the National Capital. because
they have been accustomed to adequate
meeting places for national and inter-
national gatherings in the capital
cities
Other Speakers Favor Project.
Frederick A. Delano, chairman of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission; Francis P. Sullivan.
representing the American Institute
of Architects; the Washington Board
of Trade; Capt. Patrick H. Tansey. As
sistant Engineer Commissioner; Con-
rad r. Wirth, assistant director of the
National Parks Service, and other
witnesses all favored the project and
offered their cooperation to the pro-
posed commission.
All of the witnesses were questioned
whether the proposed auditorium and
the Thomas Jefferson Memorial should
be joint project, and emphatically
declared that Thomas Jefferson should
have a distinctive memorial more in
keeping with his character and record
than could be provided in a large
auditorium.
While Secretary Ickes advocated an
auditorium to accommodate 10000
persons, several of the witnesses argued
that one with seating capacity OF
$4,000 would be adequate Members of
the committee insisted that a 10000
seat auditorium would not be adequate
for an Inauguration, which has given
impetus to the project at this time.