Evening star., 1925-06-09

1t seems to me to be desirable to ere
ate at least two others. one in the
vicinity Of Howard University, and
one perhaps on the site of the reser-
voir on Sixteenth street. These two
would be operated as artificial beaches
or as large pools accommodating sew
eraI hundred swimmers at time.
1t will obviously be impossible to
secure an artificial bathing beach Of
SUFFICIENT capacitY 10 replace the Tidal
Basin where seven or eight thousa nd
white people have been in the habit
OF hing daily in the hot weather,
and larly no artificial beach could
be operated that would replace the
one used by the colored people at
Jones Point. This is the only place
that know OF where large numbers
OF colored ba hers can be taken care OF
comfortably and satisfs ctorily.
IF. after considering the facts. the
Advisory Council feels that it would
be advisa bic TO open the Tidal Basin
bathing beach this Summer and the
beach for the colored people at
Jones Point. IL is suggested that a
communicate ton be addressed to the
chairmen of the District committees
of the Senate and House and also
the chairmen OF the appropriations
committees of the Senate and House.
reciting TO each OF them the coudi-
tions making necessary such action
and requesting their views to the
action to be taken in view of the
aforementioned legisla atom
Believe Use Is All Right.
Members of the Senate in Wash
ington today expressed The opinion
that Congress would not frown upon
the use OF the old bathing beach in
the Tidal Basin for public bathing
this Summer If funds for its proper
operation are provided by the citi-
zens OF Washington.
Senator Sheppard of Texas. mem
Der of the Senate District committee
said that first the legality of such
operation OF the old bathing beach
should be carefully looked into. He
suggested that the opinion Of the
corpora ton counsel and the Attorney
General might be obtained and that
II might be advisable TO get authority
from the President TO handle the
matter.
Personally. ! should be glad TO
see the bathing beach. which was
used in the past in the Tidal Basin.
made use of again under proper
regulation" said Senator Sheppard.
Senator Harris of Georgia took
The feeling of the Senators was that
the Congress did not wish to deprive
the people of Washington of open
air bathing facilities when il failed
to make the appropriation TO continue
the operation of the bathing beach at
it's last session. II the people here
desiring TO use the beach and TO
have others use II will put up the
money and can obtain the proper
authority for its operation, it is not
believed that Congress will object.
Legislation at the next session ot
Congress TO restore the Tidal Basin
bathing beach permanently and &c
provide for a similar beach for The
colored people at some point on the
river other than at the Tidal Basir
was forecast at meeting of the Citi
zens' Advisory Council yesterday aft
ernoon.
Representative Zihlman. who is to
be chairman of the next District com
mittee. nd Representative Blanton at
tended the conference. voiced their de
sire to help provide adequate bathing
facilities for Washington and said
they would foster q measure at the
next session to bring this about. Col
Clarence o. Sheriff.. who supervised
the bathing beach, also attended.
There was some discussion of the
possibility Of getting the Tidal Basin
beach back into service Immediately
in order TO give the people relief from
the heat this Summer, but no definite
conclusions were reached.
Col. Sheriff. said that while the bath
ing lockers nd some of the plumbing
fixtures have already been removed
the place could be put back into con
dition for opera ton for 81 500
The colonial aynlaine5 rhor until ra
Gently he had been under the impres
sion that the appropriation for the dis
mantling of the Tidal Basin beach
had to be spent within the fiscal year
1925. but that a study of the second
deficiency act revealed that the money
for the removal of the beach would
not be available until June, 1925.
May Stop Dismantling.
In view of this fact, Col. Sheriff.
sid, the work of disma ntling coul1
be stopped and the beach left as /,
is until next Winter to give Congres IS
an opportunity TO pass on the new
proposal to re-esta blish the beach per
manently.
Col. Sheriff. told the council that
yesterday morning he inspected a
stretch of river front east of Wash
ington Barracks, near Jones Point
which would be a desirable locat tior
as beach for colored people.
In discussing the possibility of open
ing the Tidal Basin Immediately fol
the present Summer, Col. Sheriff. sa Id
the largest item Of expense would be
for chlorinating the water. which
money would have TO be raised py
private subscription.
The discussion closed with the aues
ton OF whether the beach could he
opened this Summer on private sub
scription still in doubt.
Col. Sheriff. told the council he Was
sa tisf1ed bathing In the Tidal BASIN
was perfectly safe from a health
standpoint, provided the water is
thoroughly chlorinated.