Evening star., 1948-05-25
Theater Group
Confident Of
Getting BeIasco
Treasury Promises
National Academy It
Will Release Building

Representatives of the American
National Theater and Academy to-
day expressed confidence In the ef-
forts to obtain the old Belasco The
ater for use as a legitimate play
house with q policy Of nonsegrega-
ton. -........ .........
The optimistic note came after
two and q half hours Of conferences
when Government officials assured
them the Treasury Department
which now uses the Lafayette Square
site as q storage space, would re-
lease the building Immediately. They
also were told the Public Buildings
Administration would put the prop
erty up for public bids "in the near
future"
Headed by Lowton Campbell, acad-
emy board chairman, the delegation
conferred with Assistant Secretary
OF the Treasury Foley. who told
them of the Treasury Departments
decision. They had hoped to see
Secretary Of the Treasury Snyder,
but he was otherwise engaged.
Blevins Davis, a board member.
said Mr.. Foley had indicated he
personally thought a group such as
ANITA should have the Belasco The
ater.
Leasing Problems Discussed.
The delegation, which included
Richard Beckhard, ANITA staff
member, and Miss Mary French Of
Washington, board member, went
to the ONCE of Harry G. Hunter;
an assistant commissioner Of the
Public Buildings Administration.
Their conference there consisted
mainly of discussing the problem of
leasing the building and what pro-
cedure ANITA should take, accord
ing to Mr.. Campbell.
The Belasco Theater, together
with the adjoining Cosmos Club, is
owned by the Government. Event.
ually, both buildings will be razed
and a Treasury annex built there.
The New York members of the
delegation said they would return
to report to the ANITA board and
prepare the proper documents for
petitioning to release the building.
They said, however. they would come
to Washington whenever neces-
sary," and Mr.. Davis said 1--WE are
determined to secure the property"
Counts on Citizens Aid.
At strategy conference" yester-
day in the Wardman Park Hotel,
Mr. Campbell told academy officials
and representatives of the Wash
ington Arts Committee, D. c. spon-
sors of his program, that his group
is ready to assume responsibility for
leasing and renovating the property
but does not plan to underwrite the
entire cost.
Il feel that once the people Of
Washington realize this theater will
be for them and will offer a year.
around program of the best the
American theater has to offer. they
will come generously to our aid" he
said.
He said that while no concrete
plans have been made for initial aid
in financing, there would probably
be no public fund drive.
He pointed out that, while the
academy stands ready to assist in
any way in obtaining the theater as
"a site of a national theater, such
as those in almost every European
country" operation of the theater
would be local project.
No Commitments on Future.
Mr.. Campbell said no one can
make commitments as to future
plans for Government use of the
theater. 1t will be leased to the
highest bidder.
The academy board chairman said
he hopes Congress will be "sympa-
thetic" to the plan of the charterd
group to organize in Washington a
national theater." He intimated
the academy is prepared" to meet
all bids. 1t has been rumored that
Joseph H. Curtis, son of Jack Cohn,
president OF Columbia Pictures, also
will be a prospective bidder if and
when the Belasco is put up for lease
Miss French has pointed out the
group now constitutes national
theater" movement, but that OBJ
tanning the Belasco for use as pro-
jected would prove that we. as a
Nation, have come of age culturally"
as we'll as in other respects.