Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-09

ney, and read from q letter from Col.
Cosby to show that where the government
had actually turned the parks over to the
Fairgrounds Association for use as play
grounds and for equipment as such. strict
regulations had been made by the super
intendent of public buildings and grounds
requiring the association to have the
play Of the children properly supervised.
Col. Cosby Draws Distinction.
When Col. Cosby was questioned this
morning by a reporter for The Star he
said:
You must make a distinction between
parks in which children can play and
Fairgrounds as such. All OF the parks
are open to the children. and to all other
persons to play In, IL they wish. But
when you say playground a tract htted
up with apparatus and laid out for play
is meant. Whenever the government turns
over a park to be used as a play ground
it is required that the play be super
We had many disagreeable experiences
| when we first began to allow some of the
parks to be used as Fairgrounds and
when there was no supervision. The
older boys drove away the smaller. The
little girls heard language which they
should not; property was destroyed. II
was found to be absolutely essential to
have supervision.
while many children do play abou,
the parks, there are hundreds who 20
daily to the regularly constituted play
grounds which have been equipped for
their use. In Garfield Park. for instance
which was turned over as playground
seven or eight hundred children were in
attendance in a single day last summer.
Statement by Association.
The Playground Association last nign,
t,a f,t1
1.-The friends OF children's Fairgrounds
are grateful for the magnificent sup.
| port given by SO many congressman in
confidently believe that but for the sur
prising misleading statements made thei
| success would have been complete.
The startling charge Of Mr.. Gardne
| that the committee had been unable t.
secure statement as to the expenditure
of congressional appropriations for IN
past three years. and his claim that hi.
committee was simply endeavoring t6
stand between the public treasury ant
an effort to use public money improp
erly and without any accounting, neces
sarily made deep impression upon som'
| members of the House, and undoubtedly
| lost us many votes.
| 1T is unfortunate that no one bat
an opportunity to cali to the attention
of the House a fact evidently overlooke,
ground appropriations have been expend
ed under the personal direction of tn,
| District Commissioners and strictly IL
| accordance with the law, or otherwise thu
District auditor would not have permitted
| payment.
| Further that the expediture Of every
cent has been accounted for in of1cia
reports Of the District. which are avail
able to all members Of the House.
Annual Report Made.
cial report. audited by a responsible audit
company. is submitted to the public and
| the Commissioners by the Playground
Association accounting for all funds re-
ceived from private sources.
What we want is properly conducted
| Fairgrounds for the children of Washing
| ton. If Congress is not satisfied with the
past or present management, our associa
| ton will gladly step aside and welcome
direct official administration. In fact. &
recommendation to this end has already
been made by the association and ap
proved by the Commissioners, and is nov
| before Congress for action.
LAS the matter now stands, the House
| is committed to an appropriation Of ST..
900, but 1t is sincerely hoped that the pro
viso that this shall come entirely from
| District revenues will not prevail. Ir
fact, rather than benefit by violation OF
the binding obligation of the organic &C,
| of 1873, we would much prefer that no ap.
preparation be made. 1t is not fair to de.
mand violation of principle as the
only condition upon which our children
will be allowed Fairgrounds by congress
sional appropriation.
JAMES E. WEST.
''Secretary"