Evening star., 1923-06-01
Needs of Capital.
Parks Greatest Now, Writer
Claims.

| To the Editor Of The Star:
The Washington newspapers could
aid the American Civic Association by
making known to the Shriners the
needs Of the Federal city, the name
George Washington modestly used
when referring to the city named in
his honor. Washington is the National
Capital for each Shriner. Let the needs
Of the city be made known to the
Shriners and individual interest will
be aroused in this large gathering
Of people from every section of the
United States.
| Washington's chief charm is its trees.
The people are fortunate in having
! man like Col. Clarence o. Sheriff. in
charge of public buildings and
grounds. Col. Sheriff. seems to really
of the city at heart. About a year
ago he undertook the task of estab-
llshing a national arboretum in the
National Capital. He had an artistic
label designed by the Commission Of
Fine Arts to mark the trees in the
parks of Washington. The label Is
bronze. with raised lettering, showing
the comon and botanical names Of the
tree. and the habitat.
| Elms and oaks are more beautiful
! Tor street trees than oriental planes
| and sycamores. which to the casual
observer look like the same tree. The
sycamore in a meadow with a chance
1 to grow to full development is a
beautiful tree, but it is too large for
| a street tree and is so severely pruned
! that II looks like a skeleton in win
! ter and the bark all through the year
looks like it has leprosy.
The Commission of Fine Arts, estab-
! lished by an act of Congress in 1910
/ Is composed of seven well qualified
judges of the fine arts, who are ap-
pointed by the President for a period
| OF four years each. When the people
| OF the United States realize that we
are indebted to the members of the
Commission of Fine Arts for the
Lincoln Memorial. Rock Creek Park,
! the preservation of the Mall and the
| Memorial bridge. we can at least
show our appreciation by giving them
our moral support. These men are a
body OF experts, to whom the Presi-
dent and Congress can refer questions
| relating to the artistic development
Of the city Of Washington.
the Mall was intended to be a park
way between the Capitol and the
grounds of the White House The
parkway really extends from the
Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial At
present the Mall is marred by having
the ugly buildings of the Botanic
Garden at the foot of the Capitol.
Mount Hamilton, east. of Bladensburg
road, has been recommended as Il site
for the Botanic Garden. If some other
| site is selected Mount Hamilton
| should be purchased as a part of pro-
/ posed park plans. 1t would be an at
tractive addition to the national ar
| boretum. A parkway should connect
Potomac Park. Rock Creek Park, SOL
/ diers' Home Park, Mount Hamilton,
Anacostia( and James Creek canal. A
| national park should be made of the
virgin forests on the Virginia banks
| of the Potomac from Georgetown to
Great Falls. Boulevards should be
| made on both sides of the river from
iGeorgetown'to Great Falls. The boule-
ward on the Virginia side should ex-
| tend to Mount Vernon.
These plans have all been recon-
mended by the Commission of Fine
Arts. II the people of the United
States would give their support to
these plans the nations capital would
become the most beautiful city in the
greatest country of the world.
BLANCHE c. HOWLETT.