Evening star., 1954-06-09
Federal TEleater
Long Overdue,
Hearing Told
Witnesses Support
Howell Arts Bill
Before House Unit
By Hector McLeon

By Hector McLeon
A national theater and opera
house in Washington is "long
overdue" a House hearing was
told today by Prof. Christopher
Tunnard Of Yale University.
The Capital, he declared, els
deserving of the highest forms
of culture and entertainment"
He testified in support of bill
by Representative Howell, Demo.
crat, Of New Jersey which would
establish such a theater and
opera house and provide Federal
grants to States for fine arts
programs under q national arts
commission.
Supported by Tibbett.
The measure also drew sup
port from Lawrence Tibbett,
famed operate baritone and
honorary president of the Amer
ican Guild of Musicians and
Artists, and Henry Kaiser, coun-
sci for the American Federation
Of Musicians (AFL).
Mr.. Tibbett declared it is
mot possible for a singer or q
dancer to make a living" in his
chosen field" He estimated that
more than 80 per cent of such
artists earn less than $4,000 q
year, and have to supplement
their income in other lines.
Educational and charitable
organizations "do not seem in
clined to make contributions to
the arts" Mr.. Tibbett said, al
though millions are spent on
the mating habits of the Zulus.
or the reading habits Of our
youth"
| "Selfish Reason" Cited.
Mr.. Kaiser said the federation.
headed by James c. Petrillo, sup
ports the bill for "a selfish rea.
son." This, he said, is because
of the possibility of increased
employment opportunities" for
"the nearly 250.000 members Of
the federation"
The measure also was sup
ported by a fourth witness be-
fore the Bosch subcommittee Of
the House Education and Labor
Committee. He was Stuyvesant
Van Veen, a painter on the art
faculty Of City College Of New
York
Witnesses yesterday generally
favored the idea of national rec
ognition of the fine arts. Some
Is bills on the subject are now
pending.
The Howell bill was indorsed
by w. A. Parker of the Ameri-
can Council of Learned Societies
as appearing to be "the most
comprehensive attempt in recent
years to increase the participa-
ton of the Federal Government
in a program for the arts"
Would Provide Grants.
This bill would provide grants
to States for development of fine
arts programs, establish an
American National War Memo
rial Arts Commission, provide q
theater and music center, here
and build Smithsonian Gallery
of Art, among other things.
One specific objection reached
the subcommittee in a statement
listing the Fine Arts Commits
sion's opposition to a provision
in the bill to reorganize that
commission and enlarge - to 81
members. The commission sup
ported various other features Of
the proposal.
Other witnesses testified as
follows:
Patrick Hayes, chairman Of
the Cultural Development Com
mittee of the Washington Board
of Trade, called the establish
ment of a music center here
long overdue.
DIR. Howard Hanson, president
of the National Music Council,
pointed out there is no focal
point for music in the Nation
in terms of building or person.
mel.
The National Symphony Or.
cheStra, he noted. has no home
of its own. and there is no Fed
eral commission or agency to
serve as a clearing house in the
field of music.
A desperate need for some
kind of governmental assistance
exists, he said, with respect to
the symphony orchestras, which
are in real economic peril"
Roger HI. McDOnOugh, repre-
Senting the American Library AS
sociation. said the Howell bill
would be Of great benefit to the
libraries by providing funds
through grants to the States fot
purchase Of good art books. re-
productions, art slides and other
materials.
Mr.. McDonough said it was
rather striking" that the Pc
riod of greatest encouragement
Of the arts by the Federal Gov
ernment was in the depths of the
depression.
Since then, he said. I'VE have
done little, If anything. at the
national level to encourage the
a. A..