Evening star., 1926-04-03
TWO PARK BILLS
NEAR REALIZATION
Senate Passes Measure to
Provide Rock Creek
Potomac Link.


e. far toward enhancing the beaut,
and attractiveness of the Nationa
Capitalize bill to join together Rocl
Creek and Potomac Parks and tn,
nnea sure TO give the National Capita
Park Commission city plannin:
pow ers--are near the final stages q
enactment TODAY following their pas
sage by the Senate Yesterday after
moon.
Both bills have been passed by tht
House. but since the Senate made Ger
tain changes in various provisions
they must 60 back to conference.
Provides $3.50 Basis.
In passing the bin for the compile
tton of the connecting link between
FocN Creek and Potomac Parks tn,
S"nate adopted an amendment tina
the 100000 required be appropriated
on the $3.50 basis between the Unite,
States and District governments.
hen the House passed this meas
ure early in the session ii REQUIRED
that all of the $500 600 should bt
taken from the surplus revenue 81
I'strl9t taxpayers. 1t will be neces
sarN, therefore, to send the measure
10 conference 10 determine the oues
tlon Of how the cost should he di
vided.
me bill to provide for the proper
piahnlne Of the future growth Of the
CITY doeS the following things.
changes the name nr the existing
agency To the National CAPITAL Park
ana Planning Commission In add
non to the seven officials who nov
comprise the Park Commission ii adds
four eminent citizens well qualified ae
city planners The House stimulated
thal only one Of these citizens would
nave @ no bona hde Washinctonian
nut the Senate changed this so thai
TWO must be District citizens.
Members Not Restricted.
The only other change Of import
once MADE ny the Senate was to strike
out the House clause which woulr
have required each member of the
Planning Commission to adhere II
principle TO the official plan of the
commission. which. il was contended
might hamper some Official Of The
federal or District government in hi,
official duty.
ms new commission is given tn.
"ntN OF preparing a comprehensive
h'an Tor the National Capital and its
ehNlrons, including recommendation
70 he proper authorities on traffic
niShWaNS parks, school and library
water supply, housing. building. zon.
Ing regulations. public and private
buildings. bridges and water fronts
commerce and industry
No Opposition to Park Plan.
- There was no opposition on the aoo,
NJ the Senate Yesterday afternoon to
the purpose Of the park purchase hin
Tor me principle contended for by
senator Phipps. Representative 4
Colorado. that tho United State,
Shou5d share equally in the cost o.
completing The park.
senator King. Democrat. of r'ta h
oppressed the opinion. however. thai
he thought the ratio should he 6n. 80
which Is the present law for dividing
the general expenses of the District
Government. although that ratio has
not been followed in the past few
years.
Senator King said that he would not
object 70 passage Of the bill on the
$3.50 basis. but. expressed the hons
that the COnferees would choose the
othe~ ratio.
Senator King said he had inspected
the area living between the two parks
and was in hearty accord with the pro
po5aI to complete the connecting link
Urged as National Project.
When the bill was reached on tht
calendar, Senator Phiprs explained
that as passed by the House and re
ported originally by the Senate com
mittee the entire $500. 600 would have
been taken from surplus funds Of the
District taxpayers. Senator Phippe
reiterated the statement he has mad
several times recently that It would
he. unfair to take the entire amount
from the District surplus. because the
Joining together Of these two parks is
as much a national as it is A local prot
ect and also because practically all OF
the previous preparations for &C
ddlrtng the land to link the parks to-
gether was on the $3.50 basis.
Several weeks ago, while Senator
Phlpps was for a moment absent from
the chamber, this bill passed the
Senate in the same form in which the
House had acted on it, but when
Senator Phipps called attention later
to the fact that his pending amend
fnent had not been considered the ac.
tion of the Senate was set aside and
the bill was returned to the Senate
District committee. Senator Phipps
then went before the District commit
tee. 6f which Senator Capper, Republi
car. of Kansas. is chairman. and after
ne mad empha sized the unfairness oi
81 adding the full cost on the District
the committee voted unanimously tc
ieport the bill back TO the Senate on a
80 - division of the cost
Victory for District
The action Of the Senate Yesterday
is victory for the citizens of the
District who protested against the
proposal of the House to take the
entire amount from the District sur
plus
The original cost Of buying the land
10 form strip between the two parks
was placed at s1300,000. 1t was
found last year however. that $500 ,O0C
more would be required. Although
parts Of the area were obtained al
Hss than the assessed value. there has
been a lapse Of practically 13 years
civ hn