Evening star., 1950-01-14
Secret Sesqui Report
Understood 10 Call
For Fair Manager

IW IoH FIdiloycl
A report of it's new general
counsel, Walter M. Bastian, under
stood to contain five specific
recommendations on it's future
course, will remain secret until
considered by the full National
Capital Sesquicentennial Commits
sion.
This will probably be about
February l at the White House,
with President Truman. commits
sion chairman, presiding.
The Executive Committee, which
met yesterday afternoon in the
board room of the Riggs National
Bank, after two-and-a-half hour
session refused to make the report
public. Appointment of a general
manager to handle the Freedom
Fair Is understood to be para
mount among Mr.. Bastian's recon-
mendations.
1t is understood reliably that
MIR. Bastian has approved the
legality of commitments entered
into up to date and has exonerated
commission personnel of any
wrongdoing.
Recently Paul Alexander, a
minority stockholder in the private
corporation to which the COM
mission turned over the selling of
space in Freedom Fair buildings,
was accused of seeking a 'kick-
back" from a nearby Maryland
contractor, in return for a con-
struction contract. He denied the
charges.
Mr.. Bastian left for a Florida
vacation by train late yesterday.
He attended the meeting of the
committee in person and explained
his report.
THE question of the release of
Mr. Bastian's report will have to
be passed on by the full COM
mission" Joseph C. McGarraghy,
committee chairman, told the
press following the closed meet
ing.
Mr.. McGarraghy said the COM
mittee acted upon and approved
the contract for the art exhibit
with the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Hermann Warner Williams, jr.,
gallery director, has delayed his
sailing to Europe to search for
art abroad for this exhibit, pend
Ing approval of the contract.
This marks the first formal con-
tract the commission has entered
into, although letters of intent"
have. been issued, looking to later
contracts with other parties. The
Corcoran contract involves
100000.
Robert Woods Bliss, member
Of the commission, discussed de-
tails of the exhibits for the plan
OF Washington, being prepared by
the Fine Arts Commission and the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission. The exhibit
will be held at the Corcoran. Pre-
viously. the commission allocated
$4,000 for this exhibit.
Attending yesterdays session, in
addition to Chairman McGarra-
ghy, Mr.. Bliss and Mr.. Bastian,
were Representative Mary T. Nor
ton, Democrat, of New Jersey;
Robert v. Fleming, president of
the Riggs National Bank; Com
missioner John Russell Young,
Milton Maybruck, financial direc-
tor Of the commission, and Ed
ward Boykin, commission director.
Meanwhile Clarence Arata, man
ager Of the Greater National Capt.
tai Committee of the Washington
Board of Trade, announced that
all tickets for the first concert
Of the Freedom Sings" next We'd
nesday evening, have been dis
tributed. They were given free on
q first come, first served" basis
at the boards headquarters in the
Star building.
THE quota of 1000 tickets was
exhausted within three hours after
the boards offices opened at 9 I'm.
Friday" Mr.. Arata said.
Wednesdays concert will fea-
ture Helen Jepson, Metropolitan
Opera star, and the Army Band.
The band is presenting the 49,
week series-one for each of the
original States-in co-operation
with the commission. The con-
cert will be broadcast over Station
WASH-FM and nationally over
the Continental Network.
Thursday at 9 am, the Greater
National Capital Committee will
begin distribution of the tickets,
free to the public, for the second
concert. This will feature Mar
garita zambrana. new singing star
of New York's City Center Opera
Co., and Miss Jean Tennyson,
star of the Metropolitan Opera
Association, who will introduce
Miss Zambrana. This concert
will be held Wednesday, Janu-