Evening star., 1939-02-19

OF drtlclcS dedHng 1Clth the 0ud'-.
torium- stadium problem noU
pending in Congress. Further
discussion WiU tollom, and the
opinions OF readers are inu,ted
Washington today is perhaps the
only major world capital and one OF
the only large cities in the United
States without a hall for large pub
lie aSSemblages. according to the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. The commission is ad-
vised that there are few large ma
tional capitals without an auditorium
and few of them without publicly
owned auditoria.
Washington has no facilities for
large conventional distinct handi-
cap to any city-no place, either
public or private, for large eXhibi-
tions. and no hall for such official
functions as the presidential inau-
gural, it was pointed out by John
Nolen, jr., director of planning of
the commission.
On the other hand, there are sew
eral halls, for example, the Govern
mental Auditorium and the Com
merce Department Auditorium
which might be made available to
public use if Congress considered it
advisable. it was pointed out. The
Departmental Auditorium. the larg-
est. holds a maximum of 1,700 how
ever, and has permanent seats for
only 1850.
No Home for Fair Exhibits.
1--WE are coming to the end of a
series of commemorative world fairs
in various parts of the country" Mr..
Nolen said. The Federal Govern
ment has assembled many valuable
exhibits for these fairs and they will
be coming back to Washington fol-
lowing the close of the New York
and San Francisco Fairs. There is
no,single place in Washington where
they can be exhibited.
The proposal for an auditorium
for Washington should include
permanent exhibition space for
Government exhibits which already
have been prepared at great ex-
pense. 1t is true that some of the
Feoeral departments, such as In
terror, have museums. This, how
ever, is not sufficient: there should
be a central place for exhibitions
representing all Federal activities
No place could be more suitable for
this purpose than an auditorium in
which thousands of visitors would
assemble throughout the year for
conventions and public functions"
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, Mr.. Noler
said, has approved a site in the
Municipal Center for the proposed
national auditorium and exhibition
hall, after consideration of a num-
ber of other sites, including one at
the east end of East Capitol street
Walking Distance Site Advised.
In recommending the downtown
auditorium site, it was explained, the
commission was advised by the best
informed business and commercial
interests that if the building was
to be used for conventions it would
have to be within walking distance
of the hotel and general business
district. j. C. Nichols of Kansas
City, a member of the commission
since its creation, has indorsed this
point of view on every occasion and
points to the Kansas City Audito-
rum, built with public works funds
in the downtown area, as the right
solution of the location problem.
THE advantage of the Municipal
Center location" Mr.. Nolen ex-
planned, 'is that this site is strate-
gically located with respect to other
buildings and activities having 9
natural relationship to an audito-
rum. The site is within walking
distance of Union Station, the Cap
itol, hotels and the business dis
trict. 1t is served by practically all
Of the major public transit lines. It
is in the midst of a great and grow
ing building area devoted to the cul-
tural aspects Of life, such as the
Smithsonian Institution, the Mellon
Gallery now under construction, the
proposed Smithsonian Gallery OF
Art, the Freer Gallery, the projected
Central Public Library and the
Archives Building.
Another advantage is that these
buildings do not create rush -houl
traffic problems. The flow of visi-
tors to and from museums and gall
leries is relatively constant through
out the day"
The relatively few times when
there would be local use of the
auditorium attracting large num-
bers Of privately -owned automobiles
would occur at night, when there