Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 3

Text of Report by Mayor's Committee on War Memorial Proposed for City DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE F.ches'er, N. Y. Sunday, January 1, 1950 mm 1 iwawigwMiiMiBiM wasii)ia jfWjf Recommends All-Purpose Auditorium Arena, Group Stresses Need for Inter-Faith Shrine Designed as 'Sanctuary of Quiet Beauty Dedicated to Peace' Veteran, Convention Facilities, Run By Non-Political Board The Hon. Samuel B. Dicker, Mayor, The City oC Rochester, citynaii, A Rochester 14, New York.

Dear Mr. Mayor: On Oct. 17, at your appointment, this committee undertook the task of studying all aspects of the proposed Community War Memorial and recommending what to do about it. Your committee has held 14 meetings, ranging from an A service balcony running along either side just below the roof to contain such facilities as press tables and typewriters, spotlights and other special lights, television and movie cameras, radio broadcasting and public address facilities. Such a balcony, considered unique in auditorium planning, adds beauty and NOW IT'S OFFICIAL Handing blueprints, report of Community War Lee, James L.

Burke, Edward I. Cristy, members of Mayor's Memorial Committee, Paul Miller, chairman; George M. Clancy, secretary. wall itself at the additional cost as indicated above. Urges Funding Arrangement To begin funding for early construction, the committee urges that the city arrange at once for the transfer of the approximately collected by the War Me Memorial to Mayor Samuel Is.

from left: John W. Remington, For architects' and engineers' fees, For equipment, $305,000. For demolition, $75,000. The total $4,572,300. A saving of some $250,000 might be effected by' the elimination of the proposed permanent, stage, but the committee does not recommend this step.

In preparing these recommenda tions, the committee has considered the principles and aims upon which the War Memorial Corporation based its 1945 campaign and to which the corporation's members devoted so much effort. The committee was aided by expert engineers and architects drawing upon a large store of knowledge and experience, and as its study of buildings in other municipalities progressed, it became increasingly aware of the danger of delaying the construction of a municipal auditorium in Rochester. The' committee learned much about the usefulness of such buildings how Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, for example, is used 300 days and 200 nights a year; how Syracuse has been assured that the Onondaga County Memorial Auditorium now building will be used at least 245 days a year for revenue-producing events alone. Could Pay for Self Based upon information received from other cities, the Rochester Memorial Auditorium could pay for itself under competent professional management. The Engineering News-Record, leading national engineering magazine, in May, 1949, published the following: "According to latest annual re ports by the Public Administration Clearing House, net profits of some of the leading municipally owned auditoriums were as follows: Milwaukee, Wis.

$116,450 Cleveland, Ohio 88,596 St. Louis. Mo. 46,000 Seattle, Wash. 42.400 Grand Rapids.

Mich. 17,133 Pasadena. Calif. 17,060 Buffalo, N. Y.

10,862 "Other cities that made profits from their auditoriums were: Portland, Minneapolis, and Birmingham, Ala." Non-Political Management The committee recommends non-political management of the Memorial Building. A survey of figures offered by 100 municipal auditoriums shows that those operated by expert professionals stay in the black, whereas those operated by a political appointee remain in the red. Specifically, it is recommended that Memorial administration bo Tells Japan takin root in Japanese facilities which together with the immediate development of new parking areas should provide suf ficient parking to accommodate the patronage of the Memorial. The topography lends itself to a two- lever development of the building." Another advantage of the site it noted in the report of Edgarton Edgarton, as follows: The location of the site in Roch ester is somewhat similar to the location of the Onondaga project Syracuse, that 'is, adjacent to the downtown business area. However, the Rochester site is underlaid ith solid rock, which presents an ideal foundation condition in contrast to the soft clay condition extending 70 feet below the surface at Syracuse.

This indicates that the foundation cost for the Rochester project would be less than that of the foundations at Syracuse." Although some have argued, despite the above report, that Rochester is inadequately equipped with off-street parking facilities within a reasonable distance of its auditorium site, Rochester actually is better off than most cities having comparable buildings. The City Commerce Department reports a total of more than 10.000 off-street parking spaces in the central business area. Best available figures show that the average number of persons occupying a single automobile and attending a Memorial event is three, and that an average of only 3,000 automobiles would be needed to move a capacity auditorium crowd of 9,000 persons. This does not take into consideration the obvious fact that a healthy percentage of any auditorium crowd would be moved by subway and buses. Committee Advisers The committee is indebted to the following for their advice, assistance and counsel in carrying out its study: Mayor Samuel B.

Dicker; Ed ward I. Cristy, legal adviser to the committee; Gordon A. Howe, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors; Francis H. Carroll, county engineer; Arthur H. Ingle, president of the Community War Memorial Corporation of Roches ter and Monroe County.

Thomas J. Hargrave, director of the War Memorial Corporation; J. Allan Doyle, executive secretary of the Rochester Convention and Publicity Bureau; Raymond N. Ball, treasurer of the War Memorial Corporation; Donald H. Foote, city commissioner of com merce.

Leonard A. Waasdorp of the firm of Kaelber Waasdorp; William B. Stark, vicechairman of the Onondaga County War Memorial Commission; Wr. Dexter Edgarton and H. Vincent Edgarton of the firm of Edgarton Edgarton, Syracuse.

William H. Emerson, Rochester city corporation counsel; Louis B. Cartwright, Rochester city manager; Clarence A. Smith, Monroe County manager; John Adams Lowe, director of the Rochester Public Library; Howard C. Hos-mer, assistant secretary of the committee.

John Brodner, commandant. Marine Corps League; Paul E. Mc-Namara, Monroe County -mander. American Legion; Leonard L. Schieffelin, Monroe County Commander.

Veterans of Foreign Wars; Maurice B. Avers, Monroe County commander. Military Order of the Purple Heart. Ralph R. Clause, Monroe County commander Army and Navy Union; Gilbert F.

Carpenter, commander. Post 89. Disabled American Veterans; Thomas Murphy, commander. Post 15, Disabled American Veterans; 1 T. Maas.

county commander, Jawh War Veterans. Aron D. Schue, county eom-mander. United Spanish War Veterans; Edward W. Esse, county commander, Catholic War -erans; C.

Storrs Barrows, member, Veterans of Foreign Wars. In conclusion: This report goes forward as we enter upon a new year. The commit observing achievements elsewhere, considering the great possibilities here believes it can be a new day for the entire Roch ester area, opening up new vistas of community accomplishment, if action is now forthcoming. Sincerely and respectfully youn, PAUL MILLER, Chairman. Mayor's Memorial Committee.

GEORGE M. CLANCY, Secretary JAMES L. BURKE, THOMAS L. LEE, JOHN W. REMINGTON.

Cornell Collects 9 Million Dollars In Fund Drive Ithaca (P) The Greater Cornell Fund announced yesterday it had raised $9,210,000 to meet urgent needs of the university. John L. Collyen chairman, said nearly 16,500 alumni and friends of the university had subscribed. The fund seeks 10 million dollart for the colleges at Ithaca and ZVt million for the Medical College in New York City. It was started Nov.

4, 1948. Among the gifts to the fund, Coll- yer said, are Vz million dollars from Memorial Project Marked bv 4 Years AChAU DUnninn ui ucuaic, i laiiiiiuy 1945 Drive Fell Short of Goal, Costs Mount, Bonding Rejected If anv one man originated the idea of a Community War Me morial in Rochester, he appar ently has been swallowed up in obscuntv But the subsequent ramifications of the project have been the matter of considerable record (10 large manila envelopes in this newspaper library), and probably have elicited more letters to the editor than any other sub ject since slavery. At any rate, the citizens of Rochester, early in 1945, eager to show their appreciation to the servicemen who were then swarming back home after the victorious conclusion of the war. woke up one morning to the realization that they were discussing a war memorial project with their neighbors, and lost no time in suiting action to the word. Survey Authorized Taking cognizance of the popular feeling, the City Council, on May 22 of that year, authorized formation of a civic committee to survey the proj ect.

Less than two months later the Rochester Community War Memorial Corporation was organized, with Arthur H. Ingle as president. The memorial site seemed to be a natural choice the block bounded by Exchange, Broad and Court Sts. and the Genesee River. Much of it already was city property, and it had figured in various civic plans, for a quarter century or more, as the proper location for some sort of a civic building.

"Remember Forever Give in Gratitude to Those Who Served" were the slogans of a public campaign, conducted in October, 1945, in which 6.000 volunteer workers sought to obtain 2'- million dollars from thej county citizens tor construction ot the memorial. Drive Fell Short The drive was embellished by beautiful sketches of the proposed building, which was to include an auditorium with a capacity of 13,000, a memorial shrine in honor of the community's war heroes, and facilities for the veterans organizations. Workers were asked to pledge two davs pay to the memorial fund, and there were newspaper stories such as "Orphaned Sons of War Hero Offer Their Mite to Memorial." But for some reason, the drive fell short of the goal. Only slightly more than $1,600,000 was actually obtained. Failure of the campaign was a severe blow to the memorial project, and.

after a few desultory attempts to revive it. it virtually fell into dormancy for more than a year. Costs Skyrocketed During this time construction costs were skyrocketing, and it was obvious that the original project could never be completed with the 2li million dollars planned, much less with the $1,600,000 available. What to do about the war memorial became a question of debate in all circles. There was talk of completing part of the structure at once, with, the funds available.

There were propos als that an autditorium alone be con-! sidered a sufficient memorial and scores or other suggestions but none that met the approval of all groups concerned. In July, 1948, the nine veterans organizations were asked to name an advisory committee, which they did, and in the following November the committee recommended that the dovrntown itc for the memorial be abandoned, that an arena and auditorium be constructed on another site, and the memorial and veterans' facilities on still another site. Bond Issue Defeated That recommendation really threw things into an uproar. A number of veterans' organizations themselves came out in opposition to it, as also did some members of the corporation. Ingle, president of the corporation, termed it impractical.

After things quieted down a bit, leaders in the memorial project decided the county should assume responsibility for completing the memorial, and a referendum on a 4 million dollar bond issue, for financing the propject, was placed before the voters of the county last Mav. Al though the bond issue was approved a majority of the voters in the ciiy, it was defeated because of opposition in the towns. This put things just about back where they started. In a discouraged mood, the corporation suggested that a court be asked to decide on disposal of the memorial fund. Then, last September.

Mayor Dicker announced his plans to appoint a five-man committee to study the entire memorial question, and make recommendations. He asked the nine veteran organizations to agree on a unanimous choice for their representative on the committee, and insisted on their unanimity when their first selection failed to gain the support of all of the organizations. It was the report of this committee that was made public yesterday. Notre Dame Gets Million Donation South Bend, Ind. (1? The widow of the founder of the Fisher Body Company has given a million dol lars to the University of Notre Dame, it was announced yesterday.

I rte Kev. jonn j. Cavanaueh. university president, said that $750,000 of the gift from Mrs. Fred J.

Fisher would be used to build a dormitory. The remainder, he said, would pro vide a cash fund for loans to students 'a Rochester stands ready to turn over the factory building, now City Hall annex, to the city for construction of a community building. This provides a valuable site ithout cost. If these conditions are not fulfilled, the will provides for a cash payment of $250,000 by the city for the property, considered from a maintenance point of view as a "white elephant." 5- Mr. Eastman, the Bartholomay experts, the late William G.

Kaelber, Mr. Arthur H. Ingle, and others long concerned with city planning have envisaged the auditorium as just one unit of a group of buildings on either side of the river forming an unusual community or civic center. One of these, the Rundel Memorial Building, was erected in the late 1930s. The Memorial Auditorium would be the second structure in the group.

In the words of the New Buildings Consulting Board of the International Association of Auditorium Managers, which thoroughly surveyed the Rochester situation in 1946, "the site is favorable." Rochester's position as a center or conventions and other lucrative events "has been weakened as other cities have added facilities for the better accommodation of visitors. Such buildings are now in use or under construction or planned immediately in Buffalo, Syracuse. Milwaukee, Toledo, Cincinnati, Columbus and elsewhere, Rochester obviously needs a large community structure more safemore centrally located, more modern, more commodious and more useful than the Edgerton Park Sports Arena; A building to supply convention needs which have multiplied with the transfer of Convention Hall to the Navy; A building to give more people more opportunities to see and participate in more things cultural. entertaining and enlightening, and to enjoy a fuller, richer community life, not in the present only but in, many years to come. Such a building would be of special benefit not to just one section of the community but to the entire city and its metropolitan area, as well as to other urban and rural communities in the Rochester vicinity, and would attract business and visitors from a wide area.

JQ The purposes to which such a building could be put are manifold. It would be more suited to the needs and demands of the area's youth than anything now available, more suited to diverse community and convention needs, available or professional and amateur sports; available for professional and amateur musical events which require a very large stage. Eastman Stage Inadequate As an example of this, the committee points to the fact that the Eastman Theater stage Is not now large enough to accommodate any but a limited number of the large repertoire of operas offered by the Metropolitan Opera Company. As an example of the type of event which could be held in the Memorial, the committee gives this, based on a single year's schedule of the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Hockey, boxing, basketball, wrestling, ice shows, circuses, conventions, spectacles, American Legion Ball, Firemen's Ball, Police Benefit Ball, Golden Gloves tournament, State Retail Hardware, Shrine Circus, Polish Benefit dance, sportsmen's and boat show, colored musicians' benefit show, Shrine ceremonial, Parade of Bands benefit, Electrical Association, Antique Show, Public High School Association. The Syracuse Memorial to look again at a neighbor has been designed for multi-purpose use, with stage facilities, ice rinks, basement spaces, committee rooms, and assembly room so that it can be used for all sports, musicals, theatricals, meetings of all kinds, dancing, large spectacles, ice shows, military and children's displays, conventions, ex hibits, etc.

The building the committee proposes for Rochester would, and the committee believes, should be: Larger and more complete than that now under construction in Sy racuse; one offering in one structure what Milwaukee's old auditor ium and its new sports arena annex ar offering in two; one more serviceable, more flexible and adapted to a greater variety of uses that Buffalo's larger, popular Memorial Auditorium. Facts of Interest The committee has learned other facts which it believes will be of interest to the city and which' it urges the city to note. These include: Within weeks of the breaking of ground for the Onondaga County Memorial in Syracuse, a national hotel chain began negotiating for construction of a new hotel in that city; sites were cleared in the Memorial area for other new projects, the success of which is virtually assured by Memorial construction. 9( The Onondaga County War Memorial Commission, as noted, is confident that under competent professional management its building will make money without revenue from liquor concessions. The experience of auditorium planners ana managers nas been that a central location is best for all considerations.

In reporting on the river site in 1946, the New Buildings Consulting Board of the International Association of Auditorium Managers said: "The site is central, readily available to hotels and shopping district, has good transportation facilities in buses and the subway and has the advantage of trackage and an adequate area. "Within a reasonable distance there are considerable parking in hour or two to many hours. It has had the invaluable help and counsel of veterans, city and county ofticials, businessmen, interested citizens in general and experts from other cities. As we worked and studied together, we became increasingly aware of this fact let's face it: The great Rochester area is in a spot where pressing needs and competitive factors dictate bold action promptly. In a word, then, your committee earnestly recommends that the City start out on this vital project at once.

To that end, we come to you with plans and specifications but with no false pride of authorship or hard-and-fast ideas as to details. This committee's appeal is let's go on the basic project. Dedicated to Peace Details can and doubtless will be altered later. For example, it is our unanimous hope that the Veterans' Memorial Room will be sanctuary of quiet beauty dedicated to peace and carrying out a theme of inter-faith and interracial unity. There is no city anywhere whose citizens are more tolerant.

Protestants, Catholics and Jews live together in understanding. Let the Memorial Room, by decoration and design, bear impressive witness to this proud fact. That, we say, is our unanimous hope for the Veterans Memorial Room. But as to details, beyond general plans, we propose that Rochester artists and veterans carry on. Your committee recommends: That the City Council immediately approve funding ar-rangments for $3,000,000 to be added to the approximately available from 1945 Memorial campaign gifts and contributions.

That title be acquired promptly to all real estate on the long-planned site bounded by the Genesee River, Court, Broad and Exchange Sts. That contracts for demolition and construction be let with- out delay so that erection of the i "I 3 1 I.J building may be expedited. Cites Need for Speed The committee' urges all reasonable speed in taking these steps because: Rochester is in danger of falling behind other cities, not only in facilities it can offer its own residents and those of neighboring communities, but in what it can offer convention and other visitors from all over the country. Further delay may jeopardize the Memorial project for all time. Such a building is needed to anchor real estate values in the central business section and to help forestall deterioration which threatens it.

Construction would help regenerate the central business area, which pays approximately 20 per cent of the city's real estate taxes. The city is obligated to pro- vioe lor veterans organizations suitable quarters in which they can carry on their business. It would seem that some responsibility rests with the public at large for helping achieve the goal set up in 1945 by the Community War Memorial Corporation to which many individuals and organizations contributed the The committee, in its contacts with representatives of veterans of various fields of endeavor has gained the definite impression that large and important segments of the public are intense ly interested in Memorial construction and. fretting at delays in achieving it J- The committee agrees heartily with the opinion expressed by Mr. Raymond N.

Ball, treasurer of the Community War Memorial Corporation, in his appearance in conference with the committee, that "Rochester could make no greater investment for the future than by providing funds for the Memorial." The committee strongly feels that the immediate cost of constructing such a building would be relatively small io comparison with what it would do for the community its youth, its cultural endeavors, its sports life; as an attraction for conventions, exhibitions and spectacles; as a facility which would bring the city new prestige and create a new source of revenue. Minimum Specifications For these and other reasons which it will discuss herein, the committee strongly recommends the construction of a building filling these minimum specifications: j1 An all-purpose auditorium arena. A modern, sightly building at least 306 feet wide in an east-to-west direction and 340 feet long in a north and south direction with the following genefal specifications: A fixed seating capacity of 5,600 and a total capacity of 9,000, with seating of 6,700 for hockey, 8,000 for basketball, 9,000 for boxing. A permanent stage large enough to meet the requirements of the Metropolitan Opera Company 102 by 40 by 80 feet, with 4 to 6 dressing rooms under the stage. A ground floor exhibition space of between 26,000 and 33.000 square feet and more, if possible, utility.

A 14-foot promenade around the perimeter on both first and second floors, with the promenade broadening to 16 feet on the Broad Street side on the first floor to facilitate movement of crowds, to make access to offices and committee rooms easy and to add to the general flexibility and appearance of the layout. An inter-faith memorial hrine fittingly designed and dedicated to the memory of those who gave their lives in war. For this, there is proposed a room at least 28 teet wide by 60 feet long by 20 feet high a dignified chamber. Veterans' facilities as approved by the leaders of the mne national veterans' organizations in Monroe County as lollows: A total of at least 13,000 square feet making available 1 waiting room 12 by 20 feet, 1 office 9 by 14 feet, 6 offices 12 by 14 feet, 5 offices 15 by 14 feet. 2 offices 18 by 14 feet, 1 office 21 by 14 feet; 2 meeting rooms with a capacity of 50 each, 2 meeting rooms with a capacity of 90 each, 2 meeting rooms with a capacity of 100 each, and 1 room with a capacity of 200.

The last room should be flexible enough to meet requirements of both veterans' and convention needs. Offices and rooms would have the advantage of day lighting, with windows in all. The meeting rooms could be occupied by a total of 680 persons per evening, not including the large room. It would b- possible to hold a total of 156 separate meetings per Coat rooms, toilets, storage space and kitchenette would be furnished with these facilities. Convention facilities, including a series of offices and committee rooms as follows: Two offices 14 by 14 feet; 3 rooms 14 by 20 feet, 2 rooms 14 by 18 feet.

The above facilities would be available on the second floor of the building. On the lower level there should be available 3 more convention meeting or office rooms 14 by 12 feet and one large convention committee room 20 by 28 feet with a capacity of approximately 80 persons. In sum, there is proposed a facility which it is hoped will be so attractive and useful to all that it would have almost continuous use and thus not only contribute greatly to community life but also attract patronage to pay for itself. The total structure would fit tingly carry out in all its aspects the memorial theme to which the city is asked "to dedicate itself. Jt would be a handsome building in the best architectural conception of the times, one which comple ments and enhances the beauty of its community neighbor, the Run-del Memorial Building, across the river.

Estimate of Costs The estimated cost o'f this build ing was reached as follows: For construction of the building itselt. $3,955,000. MacArthur Arthur said yesterday that Japan has the "inalienable right" to defend itself against aggres sion, despite tne constitutional ban On armed forces. Mac Arthur made his statement indirectly, in a New Year's message to the people of Japan. Diplomatic quar-t suggested that he might be opening the way for a Japanese- American a 1 1 i-ance if a Jap CF.N.

Mac ARTtll anese peace treaty is concluded without the participation of Russia and Red China. Text of the Allied supreme com mander's message: THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN: "On this fifth New Year's Day following hostilities' end, one fact in escapably stands out although Japan is still technically at war, there are few places on earth more completely at peace. "In keeping with my announced purpose to transfer the authority of government to your chosen representatives just as rapidly as they demonstrate the will and the capacity firmly to discharge the attending responsibility, the past year has witnessed progressive and far-reaching relaxation of occupation controls. We have, indeed, gone a long way and internally have virtually arrived at a de facto peace. "Your new leadership, strengthen ing under the stimulus of respon sibility, is rapidly becoming safe guarantee against either the re-emergence of those institutions which brought your race to the brink of destruction or the substitution of alien concepts no less provocative of disaster.

The ideal of human freedom, i "'if- i i Dicker are, Thomas L. assumed by a board of managers totaling five, appointed by the City Council to serve without salary for terms of one to five years, with power to retain an experienced manager for the building. Such a board would be similar to those responsible for management of such institutions as the Bausch Museum, the Rundel Memorial Building and Iola Sanatorium, all of which have brought prestige to the city and county. The committee offers no specific recommendations as to procedure in financing beyond urging prompt action. In its study, the committee considered approaches used by other municipalities: The Onondaga County (Syracuse) Memorial is being financed by a $3,500,000 self-liquidating county bond issue over a 30-year period.

Milwaukee is financing a new sports arena annex by the issuance of revenue bonds purchased by the city's employe pension fund at 3's per cent. Your committee made a study of the possibility of the issuing of revenue bonds. The approach was found to be not feasible in this case, based on the best advice and judgment we were able to obtain. Corollary to this, there was discussion of the possibility of establishing an authority with power to issue bonds. It was found that the idea had been investigated exhaustively by the Community War Memorial Corporation.

It had been abandoned, according to Mr. Arthur H. Ingle, as impractical. River Wall Not Involved It will be noted that the plan submitted herewith calls for the erection of a building which would not involve straightening of the west river wall, thus saving nearly half a million dollars. The committee had the building redesigned so that this saving could be effected.

There are other considerations to be dealt with the city's experts. One is the future of the Car-roII-Fitzhugh Raceway and its possible use as the bed of a freight spur linking the Erie Railroad and the municipal subway. Inasmuch as legal matters are involved in acquiring rights to the raceway, the-committee makes no recommendation on this aspect. If the raceway is used for a spur, or if the raceway is left intact as a waterway, exhibition space on the lower level of the Memorial building will be affected. However, exhibition space could be expanded on the lower level if and as desired by straightening the river wall and extending the lower level east to the It Can Resist established the foundation for Production has continued the for ward march initiated in 1946.

Coal, utilities and other basic components of industrial activity are gradually approaching their prewar levels, thus furnishing the sinews for overall industrial recovery. "The farmers and fishermen thus are not only acquitting well their responsiblifics toward securing the peoples livelihood but are providing a striking demon stration of the fruits of free enter prise. "Labor, too. bv its energy and patriotism is making a splendid contribution to the national recoveryJ Turning from an irresponsible leadership of the past, it is now becoming well oriented toward an objective and healthy future. And its demand for moderation evidences that labor is coming to understand that in a society which is truly free the indi- vidual standard of life must bear a direct relationship to the constructive energies the individual contributes to life that every segment of society must earn its own way as the arbitrary advancement of one segment at the expense of another inevitably weakens political and economic freedom.

"With the latest relaxation of control, export trade was returned to a private basis on Dec. 1, as is import trade being returned today, retaining in the hands of the government only such control as is necessary to safeguard Japan's foreign exchange position, the sta bility of her currency, and the equitable distribution of essential com modities in short supply. "Japan thus rapidly is approaching that economic ideal free private competitive enterprise which alone can provide hope for progressive advancement of the living standard. "In foreign trade the gains initiated with the post war resumption of exports have continued to morial Corporation as a basic fund with which to begin construction; that the city then by bond issue or otherwise without delays incident further referendum secure the $3,000,000 to assure completion of the work. Rochester, thanks to prudent city government policies, is in favorable financial circumstances so much so that the committee has been advised that a bond issue could be handled without strain.

The committee assumes that the County, in accordance with an- understanding dating back to the 1945 public campaign, will provide the site. The committee assumes that the contract for constructing the Memorial will be awarded to a local contractor. Minutes and other data accumulated by the committee are submitted with this report in detail. Also submitted are blueprints of plans prepared by Kaelber Wass-dorp, advisory architects retained by the committee. This firm had the counsel of, Edgarton Edgar-ton, architects and engineers of the Onondaga County War Memorial, which is now under construction in Syracuse.

Other Factors Involved It may be well to highlight other factors considered by the committee in reaching its recommendations: The community has never sufficiently honored the memory of those who gave their lives in two World Wars or paid tribute in any tangible form to those of their comrades who survived to return to our community. The original concept of the War Memorial Corporation of a community auditorium in which all could share as a "living memorial" to all veterans has never been car-'ried out. The Genesee River site was ap- i .1 1 A- proveu oy naunuiumay oc associates of St. Louis as ideal for a community structure. It was long viewed as desirable by the late George Eastman, who purchased the Kimball tobacco factory to make the site available to the city.

The site was approved by the City Planning Commission and approved and designated as official by the City Council. As beneficiary under Mr. Eastman's will, the University of Aggression etches the pattern of the future, ft reflects the steady, unswerving progress of a people who, with backs to a discredited past, see a lofty goal ahead and are determined to achieve it. "As we enter the new year, two basic and yet unresolved problems cause concern in every Japanese mind the global ideological struggle brought close to Japan by the Com munist roll over China, and the inter-4 national procedural conflict delaying call of a Japanese peace conference. "Such concern is indeed most natural.

But the solution of these problems does not lie within Japan's present capability, and should not di rectly be drawn within the orbit of Japans internal politics. "Pending such solution, however, Japan's road ahead is clearly delineated. She must continue steadfastly and invincibly forward alone the course so well charted by the consti tutional precepts. To do so is not only to strengthen Japan's own free institutions, but by example to strengthen the free institutions of others as well. It must be understood, however, that so long as predatory interna tional banditry is permitted to roam the earth to crush human freedom under its avarice and violence, the high concept to which you are pledged will be slow in finding uni versal acceptance.

But it is axiomatic that there must always be a first in all things. In this historic decision, you are the first. "The opportunity, therefore, is yours to exemplify before mankind the soundness of this concept and the inestimable benefit resulting from the dedication of all energy and all resource to peaceful progress. "In due course other nations will join you in this dedication, but mean while you must not falter. Have faith in my countrymen and other peoples who share the same high ideals.

Above all, have faith in yourselves." hearts, is progressively asserting it-j sound system of public finance based self through expression of the public on the capability of the people's sup-mind whenever suppressive forces Dort. arise to challenge it "The myth of an unbridgeable gulf between the ways of the East and the ways of the West has been thoroughly exploded by the lesson of experience and no longer dominates man's thinking, or men now know that humanity, whatever the origin, race or cultural environment, is fun damentally the same in the impelling universal desire for higher personal dignity, broader individual liberty and a betterment of life "During the past year Japan has scored impressive gains along almost every front and the confidence reflected in my message to you of a year ago has found complete support ensuing events. Despite the con vulsions in many lands where the concept ot numan ireedom is sup pressed or under assault, Japan free institutions progressively have strcng- ened. The individual citizen is grasping! with increasing understanding and firmness the political responsibility which attaches to the sovereign power. "The public opinion is giving striking evidence of its insistence upon responsibility in government, and public officials are showing a growing consciousness of their responsibility for the stewardship of public affairs.

"With the continuation of the noble support the American people tendered a prostrate Japan in her hour of most desperate need, a further broad advance has been made toward the self-supporting economy which is the goal of every Japanese citizen. The adoption of truly balanced con- soli "atcd budget in the last fiscal year and the projection of one similarly balanced for the next has largely corrected the inflationary fiscal practice which persisted in the immediate postwar years, strengthened the government's financial position and Myron C. Taylor, President Truman's personal representative to the Vatican; IVi million dollars from Mr. and Mrs. Walter C.

Teagle of East Port Chester, and 1 million dollars from Floyd R. Newman of Cleveland, Ohio. There was an anonymous subscription of 1 million dollars. willing to work their way through' to meet the requirements of na-chool. tional exhibitors and conventions.

"This synopsis of the present.