Evening star., 1938-04-19
picture on Page BIZ

Plans for a 100000 public audi
torium to be erected at Third street
and Constitution avenue NV. were
approved today by the Capital Audi
torium Commission, subject to enact
ment OF necessary legislation by Con-
gress.
Senator Connally of Texas, chair
man of the Senate Public Buildings
and Grounds Committee, announced
Immediately after the meeting that he
will Introduce tomorrow a bill to au-
thorize the project and to create a
new commission to carry it out.
one OF the questions the present
commission was instructed to study was
now the auditorium should be financed
as between the Federal and District
Governments. The area selected is
part OF the municipal center site be-
longing to the District Government
and Senator Connally said the plap
was approved on the condition that
the District Government furnishes the
site, after which the Federal Gov.
efhnnent would erect the building.
Result of Inauguration.
Although the need for an adeousta
auditorium in Washington has been
debated for many years, the present
program is direct outgrowth of the
ooWnpour OF rain that marred the sec
ond inaugural OF President Roosevelt
| Is months ago.
| Foiiowlng the customary procedure,
lie inaugural ceremonies were held
outdoors on the east front of the Can
itoi. That experience served to en-
phasise again the lack Of a suitable
place OF public assembly for that and
similar important events, and the late
senator Robinson, Democrat, of Arkan-
sas Immediately introduced the reso-
luton creating the Auditorium Com
mission to study the problem and sub
nit plan.
| Inc commission was directed to re-
| port It's recommendations to Congress
curing the present session.
Plans Made at Farley.
The plans were outlined today at a
conference of Auditorium Commission
members with representatives of the
District government and the Park and
Planning Commissions, held at the
Interior Department.
lhose attending the conference In
cluded Secretary of the Interior Ickes.
who Is chairman of the commission:
senator Connally and Representative
j. VIII Taylor, Republican of Ten
nessee, members of the commission:
c. Marshall Finnan, superintendent of
National Capital parks; John Nolen,
jr., director of planning of the Ma
tlonal Capital Park and Planning
Commission, and Capt. Hoel S. Bishop,
Jr., assistant District Engineer Com
missioner. Senator Austin, Republican
OF Vermont, and Representative Lam
ham, Democrat, of Texas, are other
members of the commission.
Would Seat $1,000.
The recommended auditorium would
seat $4,000 to II, 900 persons. and addi-
tional rooms would be provided so that
the structure would accommodate
$4,000 to 10000 persons.
The recommended building was
described as a national multiple-use
auditorium" to accommodate both
Federal and non-Federal activities. 1t
would be made available to symphony
concerts, operas. the hundreds of ma
tional conventions held here annually,
and to certain sporting events such
as ice carnivals.
A refrigerating unit was recon-
mended for use in summer as an air.
conditioning system and in winter for
the manufacturing of ice for hockey
and skating
The commission approved recon-
mendations of subcommittee COM
posed of officials of the Interior De-
partment. The subcommittee report
read, in part. as follows:
After careful study and delibera-
ton, it is recommended that there
(See AUDITORIUM, Page A-6.)