Evening star., 1926-04-11

the national parks service right TO the
back doors of the poorest citizens Of
New Yorks slumS, the workmen OF
Philadelphia, the laborerS of Pitts
burgh and all the people of Washing
ton, only TO mention a few or the
nearby cities.
But neither should the great smoky
area be neglected. 1t offered scenery
of rare beauty and forests whose ages
could be counted by centuries-a land
primitive. Although further away
from the great Centers of population
than the Shenandoah area, 1t held nat
ural wonders surpassed nowhere else
in the world, and Secretary Work de-
cided that it. too, should be preserved
before it could be despoiled. the com
mission having recommended its
designation as another great national
park.
THEN arose the problem Of acquir-
ing these two sites. 1t would take
millions of dollars TO buy them, and
there was no precedent for a public
appropriation for this purpose. All OF
the Western parks had been carved
from the Federal-Owned lands, and the
thought of getting Congress TO estab-
lish a precedent by appropriating the
millions necessary was not 10 be en-
tertained.
Virginia was informed that if It
could raise the original purchase price
the Government would provide the
funds for development and give the
State a park that would enrich 1t
enormously by bringing to the Old
Dominion the greatest tourist trade
of any spot in the world. Tennessee
and North Carolina were told that
they, having the Great Smoky area
divided between them, would have to
do the same thing.
II was agreed that If 1900 600 were
pledged toward the purchase of each
area and the commission could be
shown by April /, 1926, that the re-
mainder would be forthcoming when
needed it would recommend that both
be designated national parks. Then
followed one of the most impressive
money-raising campaigns since the
days of the Liberty loan drives.
Although it was shown that Wash
ington and a number OF other cities
would profit at least as much as N1r-
ginia through the establishment or
the Shenandoah National Park, the
Old Dominion raised the necessary
81 200 900 within it's own boundaries.
Now it is up to the District OF Co.
lumbia to do it's share by adding $780,
600 toward this fund, after which Et-
tie difficulty will be experienced OBJ
tanning the remainder.
This is the story of the park Wash
| ington is now waging a campaign to
make possible. For it has very truly
been said that if the National Capital
reaches its quota the rest of the
country will respond simultaneously.
The commission has already carried
outfits part of the bargain and recom-
mended establishment of the park.
The necessary legislation Will prob
ably be passed within 81 few weeks.
but the park will never be developed
until the last acre in the surveyed
site has been presented to the Gov
ernment.
Then there will be opened up the
greatest playground anywhere In the
world. 1t will bring health and
wealth together TO the National Capt.
tai and to all of Virginia. 1t will
guide the people of the whole country
back to the fountains of their history
and give thousands of persons their
first opportunity to see what real
national park is truly like.
Although all of the money sub
scribed in Washington and Virginia
will be devoted exclusively to the
Shenandoah Park, it is to be hoped
that the Great Smoky National Park,
too, will become a fact. AS Secretary
Work said, There is plenty of room
for both" And already the men of
vision who first dreamed of the Shen-
andoah are now visualizing lovely
State parks linking the East's two
great national parks together.