Evening star., 1950-02-06
Truman Farley
.1oStudyFateof
Fair Buildings
President to Preside
Over Sesqui Meeting,
But Dote Is Not Set
BY WiIIiom A. MiIIen

w hhS" ~ VuttSH
What to do about the Freedom
Fair buildings will be the No. l
topic of White House conference
scheduled for the near future.
President Truman is expected
to preside over this meeting of the
Sesquicentennial Commission, the
exact date of which has not been
set.
Encouraging statements looking
to development of a strong ses-
qui program" came from a meet
ing today of citizen associations
and Sesquicentennial officials.
4 Mrs. Lawrence B.. Slater, COM
mission executive secretary, con-
ferred with Herbert P. Leeman,
of the Federation of Cit
liens Associations, and Herbert
Gill, chairman of the Public Cele-
brations Committee.
Funds Lacking.
Mrs. Slater said she urged the
federation and other groups to
participate actively in the special
events and celebrations starting
in April.
Construction of $4,000, 900 worth
of Freedom Fair buildings has
plagued the commission because
it lacks funds to call for bids and
to award contracts in the usual
way. This is one Of the problems
that may be ironed out at the
White House.
Since Congress appropriated
only 100000 for the celebra-
ton, the commission has been
relying on the sale of space to
raise funds for the buildings.
But when the commission sus-
gested to contractors months ago
that they take the work and get
paid later, they only laughed at
me-" said Carter T. Barron, COM
mission executive vice chairman.
One exception was The Balti-
more Contractors, Inc. whose Of
fer will be studied at the White
House meeting.
Legal Problem Studied.
This firm was given "a letter of
intent" looking to a later for
NAL contract. But whether such
letters, given to a number of
groups to do several jobs for the
commission, are legal and bind
the Federal Government is a big
question. Walter M. Bastian, the
commissions new general coun-
sci, is looking into the problem.
A spokesman for the Baltimore
flrm said the commission wants
the buildings completed in one
year. He said the work should
start by April Is.
The Baltimore Contractors, Inc
spokesman said the firm would
carry out the designs and draw
lngs made by the Byrne Organiza-
ton. Inc, 26o7 Connecticut ave-
nue. NV. under present plans.
The Byrne group is the commits
sion's architectural, engineering
and management consultants.
The Baltimore firm built tn.
National Gypsum Co. plant in
Baltimore and is building the
University of Maryland's stadium
at College Park.
Prospects Dim.
Prospects today look dim for the
commission sponsoring a compe-
tltion for the Freedom Fair build
lngs. Sentiment in the commits
sion's executive committee is op-
posed to it, it was learned. The
competition and prizes were re-
Gently suggested by the American
institute of Architects. The ALA
wanted the commission to put
up S25,000 in prizes and conduct a
contest under ALA rules. Prizes
would go to winning architects in
the design competition.
But commission spokesmen
pointed out there is no legal pro-
vision for awarding prizes. Fur
thermore, he said, it would be
costly to the commission to con-
duct a competition. And at this
late date. it would delay the whole
project. But the White House
conference will also pass on this
problem.
Meanwhile. employees of the
Leasing Bureau, Inc, a private
corporation set up to handle the
sale of fair space, have moved
out OF commission headquarters.
140o Pennsylvania avenue NV.
Officials explained they were not
direct employees of the Federal
Government and so could not con-
tlnue to occupy public space.
This group has moved to 1415
& street NV. A Leasing Bureau
official said the move was made
because we needed more space
and better facilities" to serve
Nationwide business interests.
The new quarters are managed by
Leo M. Bernstein g. Co., whose
major officials are stockholders in
the bureau.
Dvnee fIuhs~ Annu,I D.lI