Evening star., 1927-12-06
M 'AD00 STRESSES
NEED FOR MERGER
"Swanping Stock" Not Suf-
ficient, He Tells Dupont
Circle Citizens.

Fl A merger of the street railway com
panies in Washington is essential li
order to secure a transportation sys
TEN here that will fit in with the
homogeneous development of the city
William G.. McAdoo, former Secretary
of the Treasury, declared in an ad
dress before the Dupont Circle Cltl
zens' Association at a meeting IN the
Mayf1ower Hotel late yesterday after
moor.
Mr.. McAdoo told the association
that the transportation lines here
were constructed by private enter
prises, not with the idea of making
them fit in with the development OF
Washington. but with a view to build
ing them where they would insure the
greatest financial returns. The re-
suit is, he said. that the transporta-
ton system in Washington is about
as unsatisfactory as any transporta'
ton system could be.
Declaring that a transportation
system is as essential in the develop
ment and Identification of city as
are parks, Mr.. McAdoO strongly in
dicated that the only way to secure
a satisfactory system here is through
a merger of the transportation COM
panies.
swapping STOCK Hit.
Just allowing the companies to
swap stock will not be SuIiIcIent, he
declared, addIng that some definite
ana wei worked out plan of merger
Is necessary IN order to secure lne
objective. He emphasized the I'M
purIance of getting The transportation
companies to agree on some merger
plan, stating that otherwise about the
Onty recourse to obtain a merger
would be 10y special act of Congress
ana governmental control of the COM
panies. He added that he does not
believe the people OF Washington
want the latter.
There is nothing more important to
the people here than the development
OF W asnlngton, Mr.. McAdoo saiu, add
ing tnat congress should appropriate
all the money necessary 10 make
w ashlngton beautiful, through it's de-
veiopmenl along estneuc and eco
nomlcal lines.
Auclng lnat the development of
Nasnlns ION mas been too much neg
lected IN the past" he expressed
pleasure that the National Capital
fark and RAINING Commission mas
been formed to look after not only the
p.esent needs but the future develop
ment OF the National Capital. WASH
ington," ile said, needs just such an
organization as the Planning Com
mlsslon,'' adding later that 1t is one
OF the most essential things created
for the future welfare of Washington.
Referring to the tramc situation
here. Mr.. McAdoo said that had the
city's original planners, LEnfant ana
George w ashlngton, known there were
going to be automobiles they prob
ably would have laid out the city diff
ferently, and added that the city is
dangerous to get around in. even 1or
an experienced automobile driver.
Mr.. McAdoo began by telling OF his
part in securing the erection OF the
Veterans Bureau Building and de-
Tended the building against recent
criticism regarding it's lack of beauty,
at the same time describing 1t as one
of the best investments ever made Dy
the Government.
Address by Delano.
Mr., McAdoo's address followed an
,ddress hv Frederic A. Delano OF the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, in which he described
the commissions plan for park ana
nJaveround development, with pafic'
MAR reference to the proposal 10 Sc
cure a loan of $10,00O.OOo from tne
United States Treasury ior tne ao
ouisition of park and playeroui'u
sites ,,o,,,d NOT
ta suf1icfent sum at the present
t;v,a to secure the land the commls
sion wants. Mr.. Delano said. due 10
the increase in property values since
Tho loan was first proposed. Inc
nronarty values, he said, have IN
creased from Is to Is per cent above
tho firure when the commission hrst
aJvo, ated the loan.
Mr.. Delar1o described the commls,
sion's plan to acquire the ola CNn
war forts around washington aho
to link them with chain OF driVe-
ways. Although many OF the tor.s
have been acquired, he pointed out
there is a lack of sufficient funds to
secure other of the forts and the iand
over which the driveways are to De
built. x
He advocated a playground for
every community, declaring that eacn
large community should have play
ground of not less than Is or 20
acres.
Says Money is Lacking.
Telling of the purpose of the COM
mission to work for the Ideal de-
velopment of Washington" Mr.. De-
lano said that it is first essential to
have vision to accomplish the object
and that the next essential is money,
a sufficient amount of which, he en-
phasized, is lacking.
Demarest Lloyd, vice president OF
the association, showed pictures OF
sections of the city before and after
trees had been cut down to permit
street widening. The association
voted to refer to a committee the
question of getting out a pamphlet
to be circulated among the citizens
here to show why trees should not be
cut down as they have in the past.
Mr.. Lloyd declared the only excuse
for cutting down trees and widening
streets is for parking automobiles, and
asserted there is less excuse for that
here than almost anywhere else, be-
cause of d general iaxness in parking
regulations which permits parking al
most anywhere.
The association authorized it's presi
dent. Rear Admiral William l.. Rod
gers, TO appear before the District
authorities to protest against the fur
ther extension of the commercial zone
on the southwest corner of Connects
cut avenue and r street, by changing
a section there from residential to
commercial. Admiral Rodgers pre-
sided at the meeting.