Evening star., 1939-02-14
East Washington Auditorium
Site Draws Support
Two Plans Likely to Go to
Congress for Decision
Congress for Decision

Congress for Decisi
This Is the third OF q series OF
articles dealing ,Dith the audi
torium stadium problem no1D
pending in Congress. Further
discussion ,cil follow. and the
opinions OF readers are inpited.
The Capital Auditorium Commis-
sion assembled on April 10, 1898
and recommended plans for a &c.
100000 public auditorium to be
erected At Third street and Consti-
tuition avenue" the building to seat
$4,000 to 10000 persons with lad
ditional rooms 50 that the
structure would accommodate IS, ,OO0
to 40.OO0.' There would be, it wal
estimated, approximately 5000
square feet Of exhibit space.
According to a description fur
nished to The Star, the recon-
mended building" would be n na-
tional multiple use auditorium" t.
accommodate both Federal and non
Federal activities. It would be avail
able to symphony concerts, operas
''the hundreds Of national conven-
tions held here annually. and tc
certain sporting events. such as ice
carnivals."
The commission was quoted as
believing that the Federal require
ments for a large auditorium are
definitely limited and that the utili-
zation of the auditorium by non
governmental activities when not
needed for Federal purposes will
constitute 4 source of revenue to
pay for the maintenance and op-
eration."
Cheice Of Sites Offered.
In its report, the Advisory Com
mittee had said: After giving con-
sideration to 10 sites, your commit
tee recommends either the Munic-
ipal Center, Third street and Con-
stitution avenue Northwest, or the
stadium apd sports center site. Nine
teenth and East Capitol streets.
Both locations possess considerable
merit. The Municipal Center site
is particularly advantageous if the
commission wishes to consider only
an auditorium with exhibit space
conference rooms and possibly q
small theater, while the stadium
and sports center site Is quite adapt
able to large building providing
multiple-rlse features" The choice
thus was left nrst, to the Auditorium
Commission. second to the Senate
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, and third, to Congress Is
a whole. Secretary Of the Interior
Ickes, as chairman OF the commits
sion, gave his vote for the Consti-
tuition avenue location. saying:
This site is particularly advan-
tageous as it is located in the down.
town area and is readily accessible
to the Union Station, hotels and
public buildings. Parking facilities
are not available in the areas adia-
cent to the Municipal Center. but
it is not believed that this is an item
of material importance in view OF
the fact that the ma ajority of people
attending conventions arrive in the
city by train, plane or bus"
No minority report was filed In
either the Advisory Committee OF
the Auditorium Commission. but II
later was reported that neither VA.
altogether unanimous. It had beer
argued that the majority of people
attending local events, not excludins
inaugural ceremonies, travel to thu
scene in street cars, buses or private
automobiles and that the downtown
site Is located in what the Police
Department considers an already
congested part Of the city.
Commission Gets Backing.
The recommendation Of the COM
mission, however. prevailed with the
Senate Committee which, after
hearing C.. Marshall Finnan. chair
man of the Advisory Committee;
John Nolen, jr., director of Planning
National Capital Park and Plannine
Commission; H. P. Caemmerer, sec
retary, Fine Arts Commission. and
Capt. H. S. Bishop, jr., assistant
engineer commissioner, District o1
Columbia, voted "a favorable report
on the Connally bill to authorize 3
IS, O0o, 900 national auditorium on the
site donated by the District govern
ment ON Constitution avenue be-
tween Third street and John Mar
shall place" It was affirmed in Thu
Star for May 6, 1898, that District
ofhcials had suggested that provision
be made in the auditorium for Dis
trict National Guard armory facih-
ties, but that Senator Connally had
been opposed to this concession.
Two days after the Senate Com.
mittee had acted, Representative
John j. Cochran of Missouri Opened
an attack on the whole auditorium
plan. IT the people of the District
want an auditorium" he declared In
a speech in the House Of Represent
atives, 'let them spend their ovr
money" Nothing was said at the
time rs to the Federal Government.
need for q meeting place of the
character described by President
Roosevelt on January %, 1887.
Nor was anything further done
pro or con. before Congress ad-
Journed. Senator Connally an.
nounced that he would introduce hi.
auditorium bill again in the Sev-
enty-sixth Congress; and he kept
his promise on January 81 last. The
bill authorizes the Auditorium Com
mission ito construct, through the
Secretary of the Treasury, BY con-
tract or otherwise, q multiple-use
auditorium in the District of Co.
lumbia, to be located ON Reserya-
ton 10, bounded by Third street
and John Marshall place, Constitu.
tion avenue and C street NV, o1
sufhcient capacity to meet the re-
quirements Of public convenience
and necessity, including appropriate
approaches, walks and necessary
landscape features" II nrovides