Evening star., 1925-12-01

Z llltiff OF Inc q II4LFl 90 L'--r
The proposed commission would
tako over The specific duties and su-
porsede the National Capital Park
Commission and the Highway Com
mission ana would in addition recon-
mend activities 10 be undertaken hE
many other public and semi-publ!c
commissions now in existence affect
ing the development Of the Capital
It's formation i TO Io urged upon
congress ana was presented n the
meeting today by Col. Sheriff. in
the form II hill 10 he presented
1t he coming session.
Would Have Wide Powers.
Charged under the terms Of the
proposed legislation with the dut,
"f developing comprehensive, con
sIStent aud Co-ordinated plan for the
National Capital and Its environs, the
proposed National Capital Park and
Planning Commission" would have
sweeping powers OF recommendation
TO existing bodies.
At the same time, from another
quarter, another move for the purpose
/ of securing the hest plan for the de-
( velopment in and around Washing
/ ton of an elaborate system Of parks
and highways was inau gurated By
John Barton Payne, chairman of the
/ American Red Cross, and for i5 years
/ president of the Board of South Park
I Commissioners of Chica go. Mr.. Payne
1 issued invitations 10 the entire mem
; bership of the Fine Arts Commission
/ and the National Capital Park Com
/ mission to attend a luncheon at his
! home on December 10 to discuss the
park situation and its future in Wash
! ington.
/ Sheriff. Outlines Bill.
+ Declaring that the National Capital
Park Commission is a continuing
body, we'll organized and we'll estah-
lished, with definite contacts with
/ Congress and the Bureau Of the
Budget, and should be both the plan
! ming commission and the executive
! agency for carrying out of any plan
! for development in Washington in CO.
/ operation with other existing q agercleS.
/ Lieut.. Col. Sheriff. outlined the bill for
| Introduction in Congress enlarEinE the
! duties of the commission by also max
! ing It planning commission.
This bill. he explained, would amend
| the existing legislation authorizing
the National Capital Park Com
! mission so as TO develop a com
! prehensive, consistent and co-ordi-
| mated plan for the National CAPT
tai and its enVironS to preserve the
/ flow of water in Rock Creek, TO pre-
vent pollution OF Rock Creek and the
( Potomac and AnaCOStia Rivers, TO pre-
/ serve forests and natural scenery in
and about Washington and TO provide
for the comprehensive, systematic and
! continuous development Of park, high
way and playground systems of the
National Capital and its enyirons in
Maryland and Virginia by making il
also 4 supervisory planning commits
sion"
Makeup of Commission.
The commission proposed would be
composed Of the chief of Army en-
sineers. the Engineer Commissioner
+ of the District of Columbia. the direc-
tor OF the National Park Service, the
chief OF the Forest Service. the di-
rector of public buildings and public
parks OF the National Capital, the
Chairmen Of the COMMITTEES on the Dis
1rict of Columbia of the Senate and
House and three eminent citizens
we'll qualified and experienced in city
planning TO be appointed for the term
OF four years by the President of the
/ United States from the members OF
/ the American Society of Civil En-
gineers. the American Institute of
Architects and the American Society
of Landscape Architects, respec~
lively"
All the members Of the commission
/ would serve without compensation,
but the actual expenses of each mem
Der would be paid going to and from
Washington and while attending meet
ings.
The bill provides also for abolition
of the highway commission and would
transfer all it's powers and duties To
the suggested new body. All the pow
ers and duties of the National Capital
Park Commission would he transferred
to the new body. which would super
sede the National Capital Park Com
mission.
Duties of Commission.
AS to duties. the bill says THAT the
. said commission is hereby charged
with the duty of developing a com
iorehensiVe. consistent and Co-ordinated
plan for the National Capital and its
environs, which plan shall include
recommendation to the proper eXecu-
, tive authorities as to traffic and trans
/. porta ton; plats and subdivisions; high
ways, parks and parkways, school
. sites and Fairgrounds, sewera ge and
water supply; housing, building and
zoning regulations; public and private
buildings: bridges and waterfronts,
i commerce and industry, and other
= proper elements Of city planning. The
: commission may, a S to the enVirons
of the District of Columbia, act in con
junction with and cooperate with
such representatives of the States of
> MARYLAND and Virginia as may he
: designated by such States for this pur-
: pose.
, THE said commission Is hereby au-
+ thoriZed to employ the necessary per
. sonal services, including the personal
, services of expert city planners, en-
! Gineers, architects and landscape ar.
5 chitects, at per diem rates not in en-
cess of those paid for similar services
/ elsewhere and as may be fixed by the
said commission without reference TO
a civil service or reclassification rules.
+ Although the meeting today was p-i-
lCenIlnusA So Ksss .. Cs!s.ss &C