Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-05
FORAPARKS BUREAU
Bill Will Be Urged Before
American Civic Association.
TO MEET HERE NEXT MONTH
City and Town Planning Also Will
Be Considered.
GARDENS ON VACANT LOTS
Subject of Adequate Protection of
Niagara Falls May Be Taken
to Congress.
70 MEET HERE NEXT MONTH
GARDENS ON VACANT LOTS

For the second time within as many
years the annual convention of the Amer
lean Civic Association will be held in
Washington. announcement of the dates
of the forthcoming gathering having been
made yesterday by Richard b. Warous,
secretary of the organization. This con-
vention, which will be the seventh an
nual meeting of the association. will be
held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
December 13. IA and 10. Headquarters
of the convention will be established at
the New Willard. and all business meet
ingS will be held in that hosiery.
incidentally, this annual meeting will
mark the close of the second year since
the main offices Of the association were
opened in this city and Mr.. Watrous. the
secretary, took up his headquarters in
day said that the past year has been one
of the most active and successful i'll the
history of the organization, and unusual
interest attaches to the December meet
ing, since it will mark the elimination
IT several campaigns for civic advance
'nent in which the association has leen
Npending much of its energy during l911.
Mr.. Watrous' report, which will be in
the year. will be one of the features of
the opening day of the convention.
Nroposed Bureau of Parks.
Probably the most important subject
which will be brought up for considera
ton before the convention of next month
will have to do with the extension and
exploitation of the national parks of the
United States. ]. Horace Mcfarland of
Harrisburg, Pa, president of the asso-
citation, will devote a major portion OF his
annual address to a discussion OF the
park question, and he will forma. ly launch
.f,ly, aiCyr, hiot, ,x-ill
the active enlistment of members of Con-
gresS in favor of the enactment of a law
which will make possible the creation OF
a federal bureau of national parks. which
il is y. opposed to make part of the De-
partment of the Interior. The associa-
ton will dwell upon the fact that Presi-
dent Taft, In his last annual message 10
Congress, strongly advocated the estab-
lishment of such d bureau, using this Ian
guage:
Our national parks have become so eX-
tensive and involve so much detail OF ac-
ton i'm their control that it seems to me
there ought to be legis alton creating
bureau for their care and control"
Urged by Secretary of Interior.
Further capital will be made in the
convention OF the recommendation along
the same lines which was made by the
Secretary of the Interior in his last an
nual report In this report, and after
referring to the necessity of an eff
cient administration of the national
parks the Secretary said: 1T Will doubt
less be necessary in the Accomplishment
of these propositions to create a bureau
of national parks and resorts under the
supervision of a competent commissioner
The creation OF such a bureau and the
planning under it of a consistent and
broadly considered scheme FOR national
parks and resorts to fit the future needs
of the United States government would
be in line with the policy under which
our first President planned. IN 1903, the
federal city which now bears his name.
without which planning no such civic con-
yenience. beauty. impressiveness and ma
tional dignity as the city of Washing
ton now enjoys would have been posi-
ble.''
The general object which the associa
ton will seek i'm its convention to at
tain will be the greater utilization and
appreciation of the national parks by
both American and foreign tourists
Other Features of Convention.
Other features of the three days of
meetings will be session devoted to city
and town planning, with particular refer
ence to the practical benefits WHICH &C
crue to cities through improvements
which are made along eSthetic lines;
session in which the development will be
discussed of peoples and children's gar
dens on the vacant lots of cities: sessions
for discussion of the smoke ana bli.-
board nusances, and a session in which
the results will be reviewed which the as
sociation accomplished in it's fight for the
preservation of Niagara Falls. 1t Is
probable, also. that the subject OF Nj
asara Falls will be carried to Congress
by the association. in an effort to obtain
legislation which will insure the per-
manent and adequate protection of the
falls.
LIE Roy Boughner. editor of the Min
neapolis Tribune. will be one of the prin-
cipal speakers at the peoples gardens
session. and he will describe at length the
benefits which followed the turning over
to the people Of Minneapolis for cultiva-
ton nearly all Of the vacant lots within
the city limits.
The American Civic Association has
membership of several thousands OF indl-
viduals and, besides, 1t is affiliated with
hundreds of other societies. such as
womens clubs, civic leagues and boards
of trade. in both this country and Can
ada and it Is expected the attendance OF
delegates to the convention will be large.