Evening star., 1926-05-26
FORTS PURCHASE.
IS URGED IN BILL
Capper Presents Measure to
Senate to Save Potomac
Sites for District.

The matter OF purchasing Fort
Washington, Md. and Fort Hunt, Va.
to ne added to the park system OF
the District Of Columbia and vicinit ,
in connection with the plan to save
the Potomac watershed. was formally
presented to the Senate today h,
Senator Arthur Capper OF Kansas
when he introduced Q bill ,hol iZins
and directing the National Capita
Park and Planning Commission to ac
quire these two parcels oi l. nd which
are on the Potomac River about II
miles below Washington.
Senator Cap2er Is chairman Of the
Senate District committee and Is also
member Of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. He
held a. conference with Mai. l.. $.
Grant. 3d. director Of the office Of
Public Building and Public Parks OF
the National Capital and executive of
hcer OF the planning commission. re-
garding the desirablity Of obtaining
these two posts and the hest method
by which 1t could he brought about
Senator Capper said today that Mai
Grant and he both agreed that 1t
would be better TO acquire the two
pieces of land by purchase. beca Use
that would give the money to the
Army to he used In it's perma mt con.
Struction work at Army posts through
out the country.
Grant Urges Purchase.
Senator Capper also added that Ma ]
Graz mt said that these two forts shoult
be by all means acquired as par
OF the park system and they ShOult
not be allowed TO pass into privat,
hands. perhaps to be re.purcha sed b,
the Government later when the Parl
and Planning Commission finds 4
necessary to cross the border lines o
the District of Columbia and acauir,
land In the States OF Maryla nd ant
Virginia.
Every effort will be made bv Sena
tor Capper to get action on the mea =
ure at this session Of Congress, II
order to fOrestall any possibility tina
the two posts might pass into privat,
hands when their sale In uthorizet
by Congress. Officials both in tn,
legislative and executive bra ncbes o.
the Government are united in tryins
10 retain thes-. lands under Govern
ment control.
Zihiman Pushes Measure.
In an effort to quicken action on tn.
matter in the House OF Representa-
hves, Representative Fred y. Zihlma
or Maryland. chairman OF the Hons.
District committee and also a membe,
or the Park and Pla nning Commission
changed the reference of the bill which
ne introduced Monday to buy thes,
lands from the District Of Columbjs
committee to that Of the military af
fairs committee.
The House military affairs commit
tee has before 1t the War Depart
ment's bill authorizing that branch
or the Government TO sell these tw,
posts.
Mr.. Zihlman said that he had beer
In conference with Representative,
James OF Michigan. who is handiipf
the forts sale bill in the military at
fairs committee. He said that az
effort would be made to include tn.
authorize ton for the purchase OF ths
two forts by the National Capital Parl
Commission in the same bill.
A similar measure has been re
ported to the Senate by the militar,
affairs committee OF that body. which
failed to take any action on retainins
these two posts for the national pa
system. However. there is beiie1
now that the House military affair.
committee will give serious considera
ton to the plan to purchase these
forts, as 1t was that committee which
when the matter was up some mont hs
ago. prevented their sale at that time
by taking them out of the first re
quest Of the War Department for the
sale Of its obsolete posts.