Evening star., 1923-04-08
SEEK NATIONWIDE
| PLAN TO DEVELOP
| CAPITALS BEAUTY
National Civic Association
Starts Movement to Enlist
! Other Cities Help.
COMMITTEES TO OUTLINE
MOST PRESSING NEEDS
Expect Pressure Will Be Brought
to Accomplish Results
in Congress.

Forecas asting a broad program FOR
the orderly development Of the
physical beauty Of Washington, plane
were laid BY the American Civic Az
sociation at a meeting yesterday 60
draw up and distribute among nrty
cities reports for the civic better
ment of the Capital, in which au
thorfties known throughout this city
will collaborate. Frederick A. De-
lano was appointed chairman OF the
washing gton committee and will Sc
lect members of the body who will
represent the leading movements
toward civic betterment. Mr.. Delano
will make a careful selection of his
committee members, with d view o.
selecting the best thought in plan
ming for the present and future
beauty of the city.
Reports on the development and
Identification of Washington. made
by prominent local authorities, will
be presented at dinner conference
to be held by the association April
81, and will be distributed to fifty
committees in as many large cities,
with the request that these com
mittees work with the central body
in Washington toward the ideal OF
a Capital of the nation-made and
fostered by the nation"
Committees to Aid.
The committees in the fifty cities
will be urged to cooperate with their
members of Congress i'll giving in
forma tion of. the plans Of the Ameri-
can Civic Association for the de-
velopment Of Washington, and in this
way it is anticipated the best thought
Of the nation will be brought into
play But the reports OF the men
and women in Washington as to the
needs of this city will form only the
groundwork for. the entire scheme,
The collaborating committees in fifty
cities Will be urged to make sug
gestions and recommend them TO the
central committee.
Reports will be submitted at the
meeting April 81 from such prominent
authorities as DR.. John NJ. Cries, chief
Of the division on building and
housing of the Department of Com
merce. who will make a survey of the
housing situation of this city; Fred
G. Coldren, chairman Of the commit
tee on parks of the Washington
Board OF Trade, who will report on
park development; Mrs. Susie Root
Rhodes, director of Fairgrounds, on
recreation needs of Washington. Re
ports will also be received from Col.
c. o. Sheriff., officer in charge Of pub
lie buildings and grounds, on admin
istration of the federal parks in
Washington; from Maj. +. S. Besson.
acting Engineer Commissioner OF
Washington, on the traffic situation
and its future, with particular regard
to future regulations, and from
Charles Moore, chairman OF the Com
mission on Fine Arts, on the inter
correlation of the work of the com
mission with the work of the Ameri
can Civic Association. DR.. F. W.
Ballou, superintendent of schools, will
be asked to submit a report on the
location and plans of future school
buildings of the city in order to as
certain how near they approach the
best thought in school architecture
Engineer Commissioner. now on leave,
is to be asked to write a letter out
lining in a general and at the same
time. a specific manner, his views on
the development of Washington.
Miss Harlean James, secretary OF
the American Civic Association. will
leave Washington May ! for swing
over the country, travelling through
the fifty cities whose cooperation
will be asked in the campaign to ad-
vertise Washington. Capital of the
nation-made and fostered by the
nation"
Miss James will talk with civic
leaders in the cities visited. and ex-
plain the plan in detail. In the mean
time, however, chairmen of COM
mittees are being appointed in the
cities whose cooperation will bo
asked. and six have already signifieG
their intention of accepting the post
AS in the case of the members of
the Washington committee, care is
being taken TO select the best minds
on city planning and development III
other cities for the furtherance of the
Washington plan. None of the men
asked to accept the chairmanship in
other cities has refused, Miss James
announced.