Evening star., 1948-07-09

Bergman Told
To Survey Ways
To Use Armory
New Manager Given
Vote of Confidence
By Control Board

Arthur ]. Dutch" Bergman, new
ly-appointed manager of the Ma
tional Guard Armory, was directed
today to make an immediate survey
of ways to develop the drill hall as
a headquarters for sports events,
conventions and other public &C
tivities.
This instruction and vote OF
confidence in the new manager were
given when Mr.. Bergman met at the
District Building with the three
man Armory Control Board to which
he will report the results of his sur
vev next Thursday.
With all concerned characterizing
the first meeting with the manager
a success" Mr.. Bergman predicted
a fair" first year and cautioned
against overoptimism with respect
to the introduction Of sports and
civic events.
Assistant Authorized.
Most important, perhaps, was the
IlLdtlOll given 4liiiA W oPPoAA4N
a secretary and an assistant man
ager who also will have charge OF
public relations. Names and salaries
will be discussed soon, Mr.. Berg
man said.
MI. Bergman, former Catholic
University football coach and now
radio sports commentator. dis
cussed the general situation with
the three man board at an hours
conference. The board members are
Chairman Leonard P. Walsh, Com
missioner John Russell Young and
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox. They Will
hear his report at 2 pm. next Thurs
dav.
Mr.. Bergman will confer Monday
with Col. Peyton C. hewitt, adiutant
of the District Guard, to work out
an agreement on the joint use OF
the Armory drill hall by Guardsmen
and civilians. That is vital point,
because it will be necessary in ad-
vance to iron out legal questions as
well as to obtain schedule OF the
weekly military drills and other
phases of Guard activities.
Gen. Cox. commander OF the Dis
trlct Guard, today declared every
possible cooperation" would be ex-
tended to Mr.. Bergman in manage
ment of the hall.
Authority Centralized.
The new manager disclosed ne
had been given centralized au-
thority" in conducting the duties OF
his office and fully empowered to
exercise full responsibility as man.
ager." That seemed to please him.
He expects to move into his new
Armory Office on Monday and was
confident of making real progress in
working out matters of policy.
I'm my opinion, the program OF
events should be widely diversified" ="
Mr.. Bergman said. That is, we
should concentrate on concerts, con-
ventions, theatrical engagements
and other civic attractions as well
as sports events"
He said the acoustics OF the drill
hall we're very good" and suitable
for theatrical engagements or con-
certs
Seating Capacity at Issue.
One of the things to be worked
out is the permanent seating capac-
itv of the hall The present arbl-
trarv 1925 person limit now required
bv District fire regulations may be
too small to attract the interest OF
many large conventions, he believed.
The District has three alternate
plans for expanding the seating ca
pacitv and Mr.. Bergman indicated
he favored the plan which would
accommodate between 5000 and
10000 persons However, the more
people accommodated the greater
the expense will be, and the finan-
cial policy is still to be determined.
The manager and the Armory
Control Board will work out policy
concerning television and radio
rights as we'll as the rental for
the hall. Rental could be put
either on a percentage or fiat basis,
Mr.. Bergman suggested.
Conferences with Capital Transit
Co. officials may be held to discuss
the possibility of getting the East
Capitol streetcar line extended from
Fifteenth street to a point nearer
the Armory, which is on Twentieth
street.