Evening star., 1955-02-13
Subcommittee
Approval Seen
On Civic Center
More Leaders Due
To Support Project
At Hearing Tuesday
By George Beveridse

A House DlSLrlcG SupcOanLllL
tee is expected this week to ap
prove a bill creating a Fedora
commission to plan a vast mu'
sic, cultural and civic auditor
ium project for the Nations
Capital.
A parade of civic leaders viii
urge adoption of the measure a
a 10 am. hearing Tuesday. Or
Thursday, about a dozen HOUSE
members sponsoring the pro
posal will testify.
The bill emissions. in very gen.
eral terms. a large auditorium
suitable for holding presidential
inaugurations and other stat'
MISUNDERSTANDING and opers
halls and facilities for, radio ans
televiSion.
But it leaves all the essentia
details. cost, location, method ot
financing and design to the pro.
posed 13-member commission
which would report to the Pres
ident.
Strongly Supported.
Proposals for such a civic ano
cultural center, to match similar
projects in the capitals of most
other nations and in many other
American cities, are many years
old. Both civic leaders and Fed
eral planning officials have
pushed Inflated projects In the
past.
House members supporting II
believe the current drive. how
ever, is unmatched in volume o1
support and prospects for success
Representative Tho ON p o n
Democrat. of New Jersey, said
letters of support from more
than $50 organizations and in
dividuals have been turned over
to. the subcommittee. headed by
Representative Morrison, Dem
ocrat, of Louisiana.
Some of the previous, meas
ures. including several rejected
by House Labor subcommittee
last year, have encompassed
other extensive art-and-culture
proposals, including Federal
grants for State programs.
S25,00O Study Proposed.
Identical bills backed this year
by Mr.. Thompson and 10 other
House members call only for a
$4,000 appropriation to set up
the study commission.
The New Jersey Democrat
said it was hoped that private
sources would provide much of
the construction costs. Some al
feadY haNe>evidenced interest In
doing SO. ~~--- '--''|
Among witnesses testifying IN
favor of the bills at a hearing
last week was John r. Searles
jr., District Redevolopment Land
Agency director, who said site
could be reserved in Washing
tons southwest redevelopment
area.
In fact, William Zeckendorf
the New York real estate mar
who proposes to conduct the pro-
gram, has urged such cultural
center as a key part of his plan
Among previous locations pro-
posed for similar projects is the
present site of District ap-
proaches to the East Capitol
street bridge.
The Washington Board OF
Trade is strongly supporting the
proposal to fill a gap in the cul-
tural and civic facilities of the
community.
Russia 8 CrltlclSm Nlteu.
The brunt of the House men,
bers' arguments, however, are
aimed at national aspects Of the
proposal.
In House speeches. the spon-
sors have cited the need to off,
set Russia's cultural offensive
which pictures us as Nation OF
materialistic barbarians."
They note that President Eli
senhower. in his state-of-the-
Union message to Congress last
month, proposed to do more te
"give official recognition to the
Importance of the arts and other
cultural activities
Mr.. Eisenhower said he would
propose establishment of Fed
eral advisory commission on the
arts to advance "the various &C.
tivities" which will make our
civilization endure and flourish.
Sponsors also note that this
Nation has spent considerable in
foreign aid funds to help rebuild
cultural facilities overseas.
Membership on the study com
mission proposed in the II
identical House bills would in
clude three appointed by the
President, three each from the
House and Senate District Com
mittees and four from major vet
erans' organizations.
Advisory Board Suggested.
The commission, in turn, woule
be served by an advisory boarc
representing dozens of organi'
zations in the fields of veterans
affairs, labor. business, farm
local government, women, edu'
cation. arts. music, drama
fi1os,ies-TV and sports.
In conducting its study, the
commission would work closely
with the National Capital Plan.
ming Commission and the Fed.
eral Commission on Fine Arts
Sponsoring the proposal. alone
with MIR. Thompson. are Demo.
cratic Representatives Celler, oI
New York, Metcalf. of Montana
Morrison, of Louisiana; Rhodes
of Pennsylvania; Wier, of Min.
nesota; Blatuik, of Minnesota
poualI of New York and wil.