Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-23
Committee Hears DeIano,
Bell and Others-Latter
Urges Few Changes.
KING WOULD HAVE EXPERT
COMMITTEE APPOINTED
Suggests Present Measure Be Side
tracked Until Development
Scheme Is Created.

The Senate District committee to-
day heard views voiced on the best
method of creating a plan for the fu-
ture development of the National
Capital and also listened to an earnest
plea by Senator Phipps of Colorado
that the United States bear a part
of the cost of completing connecting
links between Rock Creek and Po-
tomac parks.
All those who had testified up to
noon favored the general object Of
the bill. which has passed the House.
extending the power of the National
Capital Park Commission to include
city planning and also to add 70 the
membership of the commission a num-
ber Of citizens qualified to assist In
designing the Capital Of the future
Several suggestions were made to the
committee, however, for amendments
to the bill as passed by the House.
Delano Gives Views.
Frederic A Delano, president Of the
American Civic Association and chair
man of the local committee of 100. was
was the chief spokesman this morning
for advocates Of the bill as passed by
the House. He proposed one change,
however, namely. TO add six instead of
four citizens to the park commission.
which consists at present of only Off
cial members.
Engineer Commissioner J. Franklin
Bell told the committee the Commits
sioners are in sympathy with the pur-
pose Of the bill. but he advocated that
the powers granted the new Park and
Planning Commission by the House
bill be substantially modified so as to
give the new commission response
bility over planning for parks, high
ways and Fairgrounds, but removing
what he pictured as the possibility of
the new commission hampering the
functions OF the Zoning Commission.
the Public Utilities Commission and
the director of traffic if the bill as
passed by the House becomes a law.
King Urges Changes.
Senator King, Democrat of Utah
proposed an entirely different pro-
cedure from the bill now under con-
sideration, taking the view that the
proposed bill confuses two PROPOSE
tions. He advocated the appointment
by the President Of three or four of
the best known experts on city plan
ming to devote one year to the prepa-
ration of comprehensive scheme for
the future development Of Washing
ton which would be presented to
Congress for ratification. II il should
be approved. Senator King said. then
would be time to create a continuing
commission such as is now proposed
to carry out the city plan prepared
by the experts. This committee of
experts would go out of office upon
completing a plan and the creation
by Congress of permanent commits
sion to execute 1t.
When Engineer Commissioner Bell
took the stand he indicated that the
Commissioners are In sympathy with
a procedure similar to that outlined
by Senator King.
Grant Favors Bill.
Maj. L. s. Grant, Sd. director of
public buildings and grounds, testified
In favor OF the bill as it passed the
House, with one modification, which,
he said, would eliminate the objection
raised that the decisions of the Park
and Planning Commission might ham.
per the members Of the commission
in the performance of their separate
duties as officials of the Federal and
District governments.
Maj. Grant suggested the elimina.
ton of sentence in the House bill
which would make it the duty of
each member Of the planning com.
mission to adhere in principle to the
official plan of the commission.
With this alteration. Maj. Grant
said, he thought the bill a very de.
sirable and important measure and
urged its passage. AS to sthe discus.
sion over the number of citizens who
should be added to the present Park
Commission Maj. Grant testified that
the House bill. authorizing the Presi.
dent to appoint four such members
is probably the best middle ground
that can be reached between the DIFF.
fering views of those interested in the
legislation.
The committee adjourned the hear.
ings this afternoon and took the mat.
ter under advisement for decision
later.
Mr.. Delano made a convincing
statement of the urgent need for a
comprehensive plan for the future
growth of the National Capital. He
told the Senators that the bill as
passed by the House Is a good one
and his main suggestion was that the
number of citizen members be in.
creased from four to six, and added
that he was willing to accept the
suggestion recently made that the
two thus added be District Of Colum
bia residents.
Would Revise Reduction.
He pointed out that as the measure
was reported by the House District
committee it provided for a commits
sion of the seven officials who now
constitute the park commission and
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