The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-13
IMPROVEMENTS IN
CITIES DEMANDED
Is Object of Meeting of the
American Civic Associa-
ton This Week.
HELD AT WASHINGTON
Four Hundred Delegates
From All Over the Coun-
try to Be Present.
sAmcrIcan News servicc)

gAmcrlcan News ScrviccD
Washington. Dec. 13.-At tho sixth
annual convention OF tho American
Civic association to be held In Wash
ington. December IL. Is and Is. more
than 400 delegates from various parts
Of tho United States will be In attend.
ance to discuss plans for the improve
ment Of the physical condition OF cit.
les and towns throughout the country.
Considerable attention will be given
to the bettcrment Of the public health
and morals and the establishment of
more federal and state parks and
land reservations.
The American Civic association Is
a national organization having several
thousand members and In devoted to
tho beautifying OF American commun-
tiles and the preservation OF their nat
ural beauties. A considerable por-
ton OF the December session will be
devoted TO the discussion OF city plan
ming upon which subject number of
papers will be presented and several
addresses made by prominent land
scape architects. Frederick Law Ohm
sted. one of the best known landscape
architects of the country will speak
on this subject.
City Planning Feature.
Richard B. Watrous secretary Of the
association. with headquarters In
Washington. said today that the con-
sideration of city planning is to be
one of the features Of the convention.
He pointed out that this subject Is
now prominently before the American
people and will be presented to the
convention In many phases. Reports
will be made by municipal officers and
others of the success met by cities
and towns where modern plans have
been adopted and put into effect.
Regarding tho subject Of national.
states and municipal parks. which
will be discussed. attention will be
called to the scarcity of state parks.
Resolutions will be offered providing
for tho advocacy OF a large public
park in every state In the union. In
this connection much stress will be
laid upon tho fact that less than half
a dozen states have established pub
lie parks Of any particular note. It
IL the intention OF the convention to
attention to the Importance and ne
ccssity for creating these parks.
Certain public nuisances will be dis
cussed. most prominent of which will
be tho so-called public bill board and
sign board affair and number of pa.
pcrs will be read dealing with the le-
gal side OF this subject. It IL known
that some Of these papers will discuss
the progress being made In the work
Of various cities drafting ordinances
prohibiting or modifying public bill.
boards which can be enforced. The
American Civic association opposes
the bill board because 1t considers 1t
q blemish on civic art and menace
to public health. and to public morals.
The Smoke Nuisance.
Tho smoke nuisance and tho ty.
phoid bearing house ny will come in
for criticism. Sessions will be devoted
to the intimate work of identifying
the home and the neighborhood sur
roundings Of cities and towns and to
the discussion Of the campaign start
ed last year for "safe and sane
Fourth OF July" The convention will
be conducted ~ . clearing house for
all ideas upon civic government and
~ q school Of instruction of the var
ious subjects Of what the association
stands for
The ohiccrs Of the association are J.
Horace Mcfarland Of Harrisburg. Pa.
president: Clinton Rogers Woodruff.