Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-25
Arts Center Group
Organizes, Elects
Sets Stage
For Planning
Cultural Unit
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE

By GEORGE BEvERIDGE
Officers were elected and oper.
ating procedures established to.
day by the new Federal commits.
sion set up to plan q vast cul-
tural and arts center in the Ma
tons capital.
At an organizational meeting
in the Senate District Commit
tee room at the Capitol. 10 OF
the 81 commission members
elected three officers and a g.
member executive committee to
get the big project rolling.
The officers were Mrs. Eugene
Meyer. wife of the chairman Of
the board of the Washington
Post and Times Herald, chair
man: Robert w. Bowling, prom
inent New York business man
and longtime advocate Of the
project. vice chairman, and
George l.. williams, retired
Treasury Department employee
and also long time worker for
such center, secretary.
Members of the Executive
Committee. in addition to the
three officers, are Barney Bala-
ban. president Of Paramount Pic
lures Corp. of New York; Mrs.
James Rowe of Washington, Miss
Elizabeth B. Howry of James,
town. r. l., and Representatives
Thompson Of New Jersey. Klein
Iof New York and Morrison Of
Louisiana, all Democrats.
Indorse $4,000 Budget
Immediately after the organ
ization meeting. presided over by
Senator Nicely, Democrat Of West
Virginia, the Executive Commit
tee met to form subcommittee
and discuss basic goals.
The commission members also
Endorsed a $25, 900 operating
budget, which Congress will be
asked to appropriate as soon as
lit convenes in January. Senator
Nicely and Mr.. Klein each
promised to back this move in
the Senate and House.
In the meantime, the group
decided to use such staff facilities
as can be made available by COM
mission members to carry the
project along.
| Mr.. Bowling offered the serv-
ices of the Washington Office Of
his firm, the City Investing Co.,
which owns extensive theatrical
buildings in Washington. New
York and many other cities. Mr..
Balaban also offered use of such
Paramount workers here as are
needed and Mr.. Williams agreed
to devote his full time to the
program.
To Fill Cultural Gap
Congress authorized formation
iof the commission to fill a gap
in the Capitals cultural life. It
provided that the center should
include a civic auditorium, an
Inaugural Hall of Presidents and
extensive music. fine arts and
mass communications facilities.
1t gave the commission free
rein to find a site, determine
precisely what will go into the
center and formulate plans for
its construction and financing.
The intent of the commission
is to raise as much of the money
as possible through private
sources. but the group reached
mo decisions on how this will be
done. The site likely to get
heaviest attention is a large
plaza proposed by William Zeck-
Iendorf as the key feature of his
plan for redeveloping Southwest
Washington. Mr.. Zeckendorf's
New York firm, Webb & Knapp,
already has approached commits
sion members on advantages Of
this location.
In addition a consAltant re-
ported to the District Redevelop-
ment Land Agency today on q
proposed world center" for the
plaza which would include many
of the same facilities under study
by the commission.
Seek Law Change
The consultant report urged
provision of grand hall" suit
able for opera, ballet and other
performances, a theater, a con-
cert hall, television studios and
numerous other communications
facilities.
Commission members indicate
ed also that they will seek an
amendment to change the des-
ignation contained in the law
the District of Columbia Audi
torium Commission"
Mr.. Thompson said this title
left a wrong implication Of the
commissions goal, which Is to
develop a cultural center which
would have a national appeal.
The Executive Committee set
up two subcommittee, a plan
and site group, headed by Mr..
Balaban and a finance unit,
headed by Robert v. Fleming,
president of Riggs National
Bank.
The IL members present at
today's first session included
Senators Nicely and Beall, Re-
publican of Maryland, and Nc
Namara, Democrat of Michigan:
Mrs. Rowe, Miss Howry, James I.
Knight of Miami, Fla; Mr..
Bowling, Mr.. Balaban, Frank r.
Jelleff Of Washington, Mr..
WA1idIlS anu Representatives
Thompson and Klein.
The 81 commission members
were appointed by President
Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon
and House Speaker Rayburn.
AnucoStiu Lions TO Meet
The Anacostia Lions Club will