El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-07
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

~ HE seventh annual convention OF
the American Civic association, to
4 be held in Washington next week
will be one Of the most important meet
ings Of the year TO students Of civic
Improvement and to those actually en-
gagged in the work The activities Of
the association are not confined to the
United States alone. but embrace Can
ada and our island possessions. Rep
resentatives Of the hundreds Of cities
affiliated with the parent association
viii be present and a large percentage
Of the 5000 individual members will
also attend in addition to special dele
gates appointed by governors Of the
State and National Parks.
The key note of the program of the
1911 convention viii be state and ma
tiOnal parks, TO which the first days
session will be devoted almost eXclu-
sively. At the evening session, Walter
L. Fisher, secretary of the interior, viii
preside, and distinguished members OF
congress will participate, and at that
session viii be presented the needs Tor
a federal bureau OF national parks. j.
Horace Mcfarland, president OF the
American Civic association, in his an
nual address will answer the question;
Are national parks worth WnileF and
will urge upon congress the creation
Of the national bureau, calling attention
to the fact that president Taft in his
last annual message, impressed upon
the house and senate the Importance
of such a bureau
The bill proposing to carry out the
recommendation win be presented and
considered at the convention, and i'm
mediately following the convention
the association will engage in direct
ing national attention to the import
n q 4 q
vide for a larger and more extensive
administration and exploitation or the
national parks than ever before. Mil
lions upon millions OF dollars are De1n2
distributed by American tourists in
foreign countries. a large part of which
might be directed to the national parks
of this country, and 1t VIII be when
the parks are sufficiently brought TO
the attention of the travelling public
and every condition provided for easy
access to them and for comfort while
in them.
national parks, emphasis viii be given
TO the part that the several states
should take in the creation and MAIN
tenance Of state parks, and reports VIII
be presented at the convention Of ad-
direction during the past two or three
years by the state legislatures
Community Papers.
The sessions OF Thursday viii call
forth valuable papers and discussions
relating to The communities we live
In and will embrace addresses on new
phases Of city planning for large and
small communities with particular ref
erence to the practical or business value
to cities OF comprehensive planning.
Because Washington, the capital city,
is the original type of a planned city
in this country. # has been selected for
, an address entitled Washington, A
Model City" by MAI William V. Jud-
son, Z. S. A, engineer commissioner Of
the District of Columbia
In the same conference the smoke
nuisance viii be considered and dis
cussed from the economic standpoint
by business men who have demon
strated their satisfaction that the
emission OF dense volumes of smoke
represents ian economic loss to manu-
featuring plants
The billboard as an Objectionable
form OF outdoor advertising viii be
discussed and the most recent progress
for the abatement Of the nuisance re-
ported by those who have been sue
cessfully wagiug battle against the bill
board.
Municipal progress in shade tree con
troll and in the extension and develop
ment of peoples gardens, as illustra ted
TO practical advantage in Minneapolis,
during the past summer, viii be re-
ported.
The house fly, against which an eff
cient crusade has been directed by the
American Civic association for two
years past will be given an important
place on the program and the mosquito