Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-08
Wall
Foes Will GET
Capitol Hearing
KouI TO Speorheod
Opposition to Shrine
At Airing Tomorrow


handicapped Virginia tract over.
looking Washington will have
their say on. Capitol Hill this.
week.
A hearing on the controver-
sial memorial proposal has been
|set for 10 am. tomorrow before
the House Interior Public Lands
Subcommittee.
Spearheading opposition will
be Ralph Kaul. newly elected
chairman OF the Arlington
County Board.
He accepted yesterday the in
vitation Of Chairman Oracle
Pfost. Democrat OF Idaho,
TO attend. At the same
time. he sent full committee
Chairman Clair Engle a double
barreled plea aimed at hating
too speedy action on the shrine
proposal.
First. he urged Representative
Engle. Democrat of California.
TO insist that the National Cap
ital Planning Commission and
the Fine Arts Commission clar-
ify their positions on the monu-
ment. There was considerable
misunderstanding Of the Fed
eral advisory groups views last
session. This bid for fresh pre-
sentation from them was for
warded in q special delivery let
ter TO ofiices. Of Mr.. Engle.
Calls Engle In California
Second. Mr.. Raul said he had
placed q call TO the California
lawmaker in his home State,
asking that q committee vote
await the chairman's return to
Washington.
Speaking for the NCPC, John
Nolen. executive director, prom
ised 70 tell Mrs. Pfost the PLAN
ming groups position Thursday
morning. Since last March, that
position has been approval of
the concept" Of the memorial,
he said. NCPC members, also
meeting Thursday, are to de-
eide II they now want to say
yes or no TO the specific design
Of the 90-foot wall.
David e. Finley. chairman of
the Fine Arts Commission, said
he would not go to the congress
sional hearing. His commission
likes the general memorial con-
cept. he said. but has refused to
pronounce Judgment on the de-
sign until more architectural
sketches are presented.
Mr.. Raul turned TO Chair
man Engle as n Legislator mot
inclined to ignore or walk
over the interests Of Arlington
County" he said.
Amendments In Prospect
With q nod from the In
terror Committees chairman.
lawmakers and Washington
area ofhcials might agree on
amendments TO the bill, ac-
cording to Mr.. Kaul.
The measure whizzed past
the Senate in As seconds last
August. 1t was blocked on the
House floor by Representative
Sheppard. Democrat Of Cali
fornia. who demanded public
hearings. Neither the Senate
nor House put the proposal up
to the public formally last
session.
The Senate-passed bill would
authorize a $3.50 million
memorial wall - a roofless
structure measuring ESQ feet
wide. 500 feet long and 80 feet
high. It would be set on the
former Nevius tract. across the
Potomac River from Washing
ton on an axis with the Capitol.
Washington Monument and
Lincoln Memorial.
Expenses would be covered
by private subscriptions spon-
sored by the National Monu-
ment Commission and its
affiliated National Freedom
Shrine Foundation. New York
Architect Eric Gugler has pre-
pared preliminary sketches.
Board Review Suggested
"The size and the height Of
the monument ought to be re-
viewed in detail" Mr.. Raul
said. The bill might be
amended to require approval
OF the Arlington County Board
Of final plans"
He emphasized that his board
had respected constantly Fed
eral wishes to keep the skyline
beyond the Lincoln Memorial
low. This involved resisting
pressures to allow private de-
velopers to put up apartments
and commercial establishments
in the area near the river.
The least the Federal Gov
eminent can do in return is
to respect the views Of Airing
ton County" he said.
Mrs. Pfost said the hearing
was, called despite the full
committee approval OF the
monument last session because
committeeman felt the OPP
position should be heard" She
said that the bills sponsor.
Representative Asphalt. Demo-
crat Of Colorado. was very
anxious 10 give the measure
immediate consideration.