Evening star., 1926-06-14
DAVIS GIVES TERMS:
FOR SALE OF FORTS
War Secretary Willing to
See D. c. Get Sites for
Parks if Purchased.

The proposal to turn Fort Washing.
ton, Md, and Fort Hunt, Va. over to
the District of Columbia for inclusion
i'll the park system Of the Capital Is
agreeable provided the War Depart
ment can be suitably recompensed.
Secretary Of War Dwight f. Davis
has advised Charles Moore, president
of the Fine Arts Commission. in let
ter made public today. - ;-
The Secretary repeated, however.
that the department cannot give the
lands embraced in these obsolete mill
tar% reservations gratis, explaining
that the proceeds which will come
from their projected sale are urgently
needed to carry out the Army housing
program.
Outlining the history Of the posts.
the Secretary adds:
Army Needs Specified.
"The Sixty.ninth Congress. by virtue
Of the act OF March l., 1926. has au
thoriZcd me To dispose Of Surplus mil
itary reservations and utilize the pro
ceeds toward the construction of per
nIan+nt barracks and quarters al other
existing Army posts. Since the " Ori'I
War Il great part of the feSula
Army has been forced. through fca
SONS of economy. Ia live in the war
time cantonmentS hastily erected fot
temporary use during tn" war and
which now through determination are
almost nhabitable.
In order to properly house over
10000 officers and men now living III
these quarters. without undue bur
dens upon the taxpayers, the sale oi
such obsolete reservations as these
two is necessary. Since 1919 the WaI
Department has transferred to Other
departments OF the Government
without recompense, 112 posts and
reservations. Had these properties
been sold and the funds applied Il
the Army housing problem. as is now
contemplated. the Army would not he
SO badly off for shelter.
1T must lie obvious to you that tt
turn these two valuable pieces o1
property over to the National Capita
Park Commission would be practical Il>
compelling the Army to pay for city
park. The injustice OF compelling the
Regular Army to live under the dis
treSSing conditions which now exist
in order TO provide parks for the Dis
trict of Columbia must he apparent
1t is. therefore. my intention 10 sell
these properties for what, yer sum car
lie realized.
Asks for Compensation.
THE propositions to turn them over
to the National Capital Park tommis
sion is agreeable to me. provided the
War Department can he suitably rec
ompensed. This, OF course. will re
quire legislation. which no doubt car
he obtained by the interested persons
and this Legislation will meet with nc
objection on the MT Of the War De
partment, provided. as stated before
adequate return is guaranteed. 10 the
military post construction fund ere
ated by the act of March u. 1926.
The Zihlman bill authorizing and
directing the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission To purchase
Forts Washington and Hunt. has been
reported favorably to the House by
the military affairs committee, and
now Is on the unanimous consent cal
endar awaiting action.
Tire Capper bill, which provides
similar authority To that given by the
Zihlman bill. is before the Senate
military affairs committee, and it is
expected that ii will come up for con
Sideration next Friday Wher Maj u
s. Grant, Sd, executive officer of the
Planning Commission. will present de
tails about the proposal to make
parks of these two historic sites.