Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-22
Anderson Coils
For Building
Of Air Museum
BY ALEX II. PRESTON
star stan Writer

AAAC AAo o. WAhAtCoo was OCilhboF
Anderson, Democrat OF New
Mexico. author Of a bill 10 es-
tablish a National Air Museum,
under direction Of the Smith
sonian Institution.
He was followed by the spon-
sor Of the opposing bill. Senator
Fulbright, Democrat Of Ar
kansas. who has proposed .
National Cultural Center for
the Performing Arts on the site
located north Of Independence
avenue between Fourth and
Seventh streets S.W.
Senator Anderson said "the
Fulbright bill might allow the
erection of a structure that
would dwarf the National Gal.
lery Of Art and indeed the Capt.
toll itself. It is not known that
any authorized agencies Of the
Government have approved this
site for this purpose (for q cul-
tural center)."
Museum Use Approved
Senator Anderson said he
spoke not only as the sponsor
of q bill but as q member Of
the Board Of Regents Of the
Smithsonian Institution. Be-
fore he introduced his bill last
May 2, he said, the sites use
I for an air museum had been
approved by the National Capt.
tai Planning Commission and
the General Services Admins
tration, which controls the land.
A member of the subcommit.
tee, Senator Hruska, Republic
can Of Nebraska, said he
thought the matter was being
presented to the committee
because neither the Planning
Commission nor the Fine Arts
Commission had recommended
q cultural center for this loca-
ton. Congress is required BY
law to receive recommends
tons from these two agencies.
he said.
Subcommittee Chairman Nc
Namara replied, however, that
all sides would be given an OPP
Iportunity to be heard. There
was standing room only in the
committee room.
Resumes Tomorrow
Shortly before pm. it was
announced that the hearings
would have to go over until
tomorrow because the commit
tee room would not be available
TO his group this afternoon.
About a dozen witnesses had
testified. There still were about
40 more who wanted to be
heard. The hearing will resume
at 10 am. tomorrow in Room
4l2 Of the Senate once Build
. ing.
Senator Fulbright and Rep
resentative Thompson, Demo-
crat Of New Jersey, introduced
identical bills to take the land
, for the Cultural Center after
the Smithsonian's regents had
approved use of the land for
an air museum.
On the other hand, Senator
Fulbright told the Senate Pub
lie Works Subcommittee, head
ed by Senator Mcnamara,
Democrat of Michigan. that
President Eisenhower on jan
uary is had directed that a
study be made looking toward
establishment Of an armed
forces museum somewhere in
the Washington area.
} 1T seems to me-" Senator
! Fulbright said, that that pro-
posal supersedes the Senator'S
bill, for certainly an armed
forces museum would include
the Air Force.
Warrants Reconsideration
"These circumstances would
seem to warrant a reconsidera-
ton by this committee of any
previous thoughts given to an
air museum"
Senator Anderson declared :
1T is almost certain that the
long narrow site contemplated
for the National Air Museum
: would not be adequate for q
! center for the performing arts.
; The plot contemplated for the
) use OF the National Air Museum
would be approximately 700 by
1870 feet and the building not
more than 70 feet in height.
This is thought to be as large
a building as could be placed
opposite the National Gallery
of Art without in any way con-
fiicting with the scale Of the
National Gallery"
The Advisory Board Of the
National Air Museum, Senator
Anderson said. has recon-
mended that storage facilities
be maintained near Washing =
ton for planes not to be ex-
hibited on the Mall but which
are Of interest to engineers and
patent attorneys. The museum
itself would be only large
Enough to show the great
"flrsts" of aviation and tech
nical and scientific devices that
have advanced the science and
art Of aviation, Senator Full
bright commended.
George A. Garrett, president
Of the National City Coun-
Gil. supported the Fulbrisht-
Thompson bills.