Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-24
COOLIDGE CALLS
RECREATION meet
CAPITAL, MAY 22-M

WdSQlHKIOu, apr <O-Ndh "dS
issued today by President Coolidge
for a national conference on outdoor
recreation to meet May % to "a in
Washington.
Announcement of the conference
was made at the White House in a
formal statement issued by the Pres
ident. after he had conferred with
Secretaries Weeks, Work, Wallace
and Hoover, and Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt, whom the chief execu-
tive recently designated as members
of a committee to draft a national
outdoor recreation policy.
The purpose of the conference will
be to assist the committee in form
ing national program and Secre-
tary Roosevelt, who today was des-
ignated as executive chairman of the
conference. was instructed to send
out invitations for the meeting.
The Presidents statement in part
said:
Since the first announcement as
TO the needs of a, national outdoor
ton policy, SO many express
sions of approval of such a project
and so many offers of assistance in
furthering it have been received by
individual members of my commit
tee, that 1t is their unanimous opin-
ion that a conference on this impor-
tant subject should be called to
meet in the city Of Washington in
the near future to assist the commit
tee in forming q national program.
THE proposed policy covers such
a range of subjects, touches so many
phases Of our national life and is the
immediate mission of so many exist
ing agencies, national, state, munich
pal and private. that feel that fed
eral leadership and support to CO.
ordinate this activy are desirable and
therefore heartily concur in the
recommendations of my committee.
May 22-24 inclusive has been select
ed as the time for this conference
and the new National Museum in
Washington, d. c.. as the place.
Il have appointed Colonel Theo-
dore Roosevelt to act as executive
chairman for the cnference and Sec
retaries Weeks. Works, Wallace and
Hoover as honorary craimen. I have
instructed Colonel Roosevelt to
communicate with the national civil
ian organizations interested in this
great subject, and ask them to send
delegates to the conference. There
is no ill-embracing list of these
organizations, and therefore it will
be impossible to avoid unintentional
omissions. Because this I am go
ing to ask those organizations that
do not receive Invitations. and that
are embraced in the above outlined
category, to write at once to my
chairman, Colonel Roosevelt, in re-
gard to their representations.
I'm general some of the topics
which will be discussed and upon
which 1t is hoped conclusions may
be reached and constructive sug-
gestions formulated are:
Encouragement of outdoor recrea-
ton as federal function; constitu
tional or legal authority for federal
participation: the bearing of outdoor
recreation on mental. physical. social
and moral development: outdoor recrea-
ton as an influence in child welfare;
the wild-life (game and fur-bearing
animals, birds. fish and plants) re-
sources of the United States; the scenic
resources of the United States and ma
jor possibilities of national coopera-
ton in promotion of recreation =.
1.-THE prime objective for which feel
we should strive is to endeavor to
make available to the average Ameri-
can outdoor recreation with all that
it implies, and to preserve our facili-
ties for outdoor recreation for our
children and our children's children"