Evening star., 1926-01-21
URGES D. c. ACQUIRE
TWO RIVER FORTS
S. T. Mather Suggests Trans
fer of Sites TO Park
Commission.

Commission.
Urging acquisition hv transfer I"
the National Capital Park Commission
Of Forts Hunt and Washington. on
the Potomac River below Washing
ton, Stephen r. Mather, director Of
the National Park Service and
member Of the park commission. told
the conference on outdoor recreation
AT the Cha OF Commerce Of the
United States today that the commits
sion may have to buy back these
aba ndoned military reservations Al en-
HANGED prices in the future unless
provision is made through IegisIa-
tion for their tra nsfer. Mr. Mather
asked the delegates from nearly two
score States gathered At the confer
ence 10 get behind project authorlz-
ing transfer of aha ndoned military
reservations throughout the country.
and 10 establish on them State parks
or larger parks, if the areas are of
sufficient size
An amendment i'm the bill authori7-
lns sale Of the reservations was in
serted in the Senate Mr.. Mather said.
providing for transfer bv the War De
cles OF these areas. This amendment.
Nj. Mather said. was stricken out ny
the House
Cites Cases As Typical.
The National Park Service director
SO Id the case of Forts Hunt and Wash
lnston are typical of many other areas
scattered ovep the country. including
the la nd used for military cantonmentS
curing the war. Manv Of these areas
he added, are ca pa bic Of conversion
into ideally located parks. and almost
All are splendid types or country for
park use. He said that the War De
paftment Is proceeding in thorough
ly busineSSike way in offering the
2 aha ndoned military reservations for
sale t" obtain money for other pur-
poses. but that when The forts are
once sold. such State or Federal areas
as need them in the future for park
purposes may have 70 pay increa sad
prices for them
The immediate problem "f the
+ forts on The Potomac is not a press
ING one at this particular lime. Mr..
Mather said. But for posteritv and
! for The residents of the City Of Wash
, ingron of the future with its OK
handing popula ton. il would he we'll
=" have these areas owned by tho
National Capital Park Commission
Our annual approximation authorizes
us 10 buy land outside the District
Of Columbia. which will fit ia with
the general park scheme Of tho oitv.
even though at present our efforts
are largely confined to parks within
The limits Of the District He added
/ that the commission has only recent
/ lY bought Fort stevens
Davis on Program.
Secretary of La hcr James j Davis
added another human note ia tho
/ conference today. supplementinG the
message read Yesterday by Elhelherr
( Stewart Of the Labor Depa rtment
lndOrsing the views Of Mr.. Stewart
that places should he supplied in tho
public parks for the blue. leaned
workers of industry to amuse them
/ selves without restriction. Secretary
Da Wis said the girl boot nd shoe work
er must have some place 10 entertain
her stock yards sweetheart If she
entertained him in her room she
would he socially ostra cized he Sa id
The Labor Secretary said the
stream of human life should be unpol-
| luted by any industrial backwash and
that playground spaces should be
provided for children of all classes
! f the children cannot play in the
/ streets, he declared. let them plav
on the roofs of the tall buildings that
! rob them of the sunlight and pIav
! spaces 10 which they are entitled.
. He added that school buildings con
! structed in consested neighhorhoods
should have Fairgrounds on the roof
bei1eNe every man nd woman
i should have a progra m nf recreation
and for the man engaged in industry
"i commerce, especially. 4 program
I which will take him into the PLAY
! grounds OF nature. Outdoor recrea-
! tion makes better men and women.
T but. more important better husra n,is
and wives and better parents
Would Insure the Future.
Il believe every child should have
! an opportunity to use we'll equipped
/ athletic fields and opportunity 10 visir
/ Il lake or river, to learn to swim dive
| and manage a boat or canoe | he
I lieNe America owes il to her child
| hood To provide perma Summer
| camps where boys and girls Of al
| ages may learn IL know and love the
! outdoors. They will do much to clear
/ the calendars of our Juvenile courts
end the tragedy of child deIinauencv
and insure the future
! A resolution was introduced AT the
conference session TODAY nv FAM !
/ McGahan. past departme Mt comma nd
/ er Of the American Legion. asking
! that the conference take up for ma
| lure Considera ion the human prob.
/ lens involved in its program outlined
! by the President in his original decla-
/ ration.
| The resolution pointed out that the
! conference has had nota BILE success in
promoting its abstract aims in park
development and provision Of area :
! for recrea ton. and should now turn
to consideration of the individuals who
will benefit by it's program Mr.. Nc
| Gahan said the conference had started
/ at the bottom at its program and
| worked up. instead or starting at the
| top and working down
Forest Preservation.
Raymond II. Torrey. field secretary
| of the National Conference on State
| Parks urged acquisition hy the States
| Of surplus Federal property and its
| conversion into State parks. He said
the Forest Service has been very
helpful in preserving forests in the
! States
Hanford MacNider. Assistant Sec
| retary of War, and executive secre-
| tary of the Presidents committee on
| outdoor recreation. Will address the
| conference this afternoon. Chauncev
!. Hamlin, chairman of the national
| recreation conference. presided at
both morning and afternoon sessions
Four members OF the cabinet, all
members Of the Presidents commit
tee. Will speak at the bs nquet closing
the two-day annual meeting at the
Mayflower Hotel tonight Secretaries
Davis of the War Department Work
! OF the Interior Department Hoover
OF the Commerce Department and
| Davis OF the Labor Department are