Evening star., 1926-06-01
COUNCIL CIVIC PLAN
IS F[ATLY REJECTED
BY COMMISSIONERS
Ten-Year Program for City's
Improvement Is Turned
Down Internationally.
STUDY BY "COMPETENT
PERSONS" is DEMANDED
Scheme Should Be Checked by an
>"1mpartial Agency" They Say,
Pointing to Planning Body.

The District Commissioners today
fatty rejected the plan of the Citizens
Advisory Council to formulate an am
bilious 10-year civic improvement pro-
gram.
Writing to Jesse G. Suter, chairman
of the council. the Commissioners ex-
planned that the public and Congress
probably would not be willing to ac-
cept such a comprehensive plan with
out convincing proof that it had been
mapped out by competent persons
after careful study and checking by
thoroughly informed and impartial
agencies" The Commissioners fur
ther pointed out that in the. new Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission Congress has created such an
agency.
The 10-year program was proposed
by the council to provide for the fu-
ture orderly growth and development
OF the District. 1t was initiated by
Councilman w. /. SWanton and ap-
proved at the last meeting of the
council with recommendation that
the commissioners, the director of
the Bureau of the Budget and the
chairman of the Park and Planning
Commission join in a conference to
discuss the program.
Embodies Many Projects.
AS outlined by the council. the
plan would embody the five-year
school-building program. public Ii
bralieS and branches, water and sew.
er systems, sewage disposal works,
refuse disposal, park and playground
development, waterfront development,
bridges. street lighting. hospitals and
health department, together with the
annual normal growth of the police
and fire departments and the admin.
istrative offices.
About two years ago such q plan
was initiated and publicity given to a
proposed bond issue to provide for the
construction proposed" said the letter
of the Commissioners. THE matter
has been left in allegiance, as it APP
peared manifest that there was not
sufficient favorable public sentiment
to justify the expectation that Con-
SresS would approve the proposed
bond issue. Some progress has been
made, however, without q bond issue
but with increased tax rates, as evi-
dtnced in the initiation of the FIVE
year schoolbuildine program. the
lighting plan and the creation of the
National Capital Park Commission
with funds provided for the purchase
Of parks and Fairgrounds.
Agency Already Created.
''It is not to be expected that the
public and Congress will be willing to
accept comprehensive plans without
convincing proof that the plans have
been prepared by competent persons
after careful study and have been
checked by thoroughly informed and
impartial agencies. 1t is believed that
the act of Congress creating the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission has created such an agency.
After quoting the act creating the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission and outlining it's scope.
the Commissioners said:
Congress has seen fit to place this
planning in the hands of experts, as
provided above, and ii is the earnest
desire of the Commissioners that all
departments of the District govern
ment comply fully with the spirit Of
this provision for creating and carry
ing out plans.
IF it becomes manifest as these
plans mature that a bond issue must
be provided, the matter will he taken
up again with confidence that the
public and Congress will support a
proposition based on plans thus pro
posed"