Evening star., 1927-01-26
PARK PLAN BODY
HELD NECESSARY
Nearby Maryland to Profit
Largely by u. S. and State
Aid in Work.

Nfisinfornafio7 is the basis of the
opposition which is said TO nave de-
Veloped i'm Prince Georges County,
Md. to the proposed legislation for a
Maryland Park and Planning COM
mission. according to those behlhu
the movement to develop MontSoh
ery and Prince Georges Counties as
a mart of the National Capital. The
opposition came out last night with
the publication of 4 letter which
Matthew F. Halloran. former mayor
of Hvattsville has sent to GOV.
Ritchie. prefaced on the supposltlon
that the counties viii bear the tuIl
brunt of the expense.
In the first place, members OF the
existing de facto Maryland Commission
point out that there is no intent that
the two counties shall bear the burden
of the taxation, but it is proposed that
the State and Federal Government
will bear an even larger share of the
expense The State is expected 10
make it's provision in the supple
mental budget, while the first step
in the Federal Government aid was
taken Yesterday when Representa-
tive Fred N Zihlman of Maryland
offered a bill in the House when
would authorize an appropriation or
100000 a year of Federal FUNDS, 10
be used in both Maryland and Nir-
ginia for the purchase of parks and
Fairgrounds.
See Higher Values.
Members of the existing Park and
Planning Commission point out dl-
rectly likewise that. the improve
ments to be made under the Lonlng
Park and Planning Commission VIII
be of such momentous character by
virtue of Federal and State ala that
property values in Montgomery
County and Prince Georges naturally
will increase by virtue of attractive
environment as well as safety OF IN
vestment through Zoning work.
At the same time it was pointed
out by the people who have studied
the proposed Maryland legislation,
and familiar with the whole move
ment, that the District of Columbia
will not, as enormously stated, be the
chief beneficiaries of the parking ana
planning scheme in Maryland, as the
taxpayers of the District have paid
their own way for the parks for the
endowment of all the people. AS
matter of fact, ii was added, persons
in touch with the pulse of the popu-
lace of Prince Georges County at
meeting Saturday night in this city
pointed out that that county needed
the legislation even more than Mont
gomery, as they were small-home
owners, who spent the entire year at
home, and parks would be great
benefit to them.
Not Bound to Pay Tax.
The proposed legislation does not
bind Prince Georges County TO pay
tax to buy park lands, but only g.
TO INT a in the commission.
but does bind Montgomery County. Ii
is to be left TO the citizens OF the
former county to say whether they
want to improve their county and the
valuation of their individual holdings
by virtue of contributing small levy
for the purchase Of public spaces.
1t is argued by members OF the
existing park and planning commis'
sion in Maryland that the whole con
eribution of Prince Georges and Mont
gornery Counties in this work VIII not,
even in a small measure, approximate
the amount Of funds to be contributed
nv the State or the Federal Govern
ment during the course OF the next
few years 1t is pointed out that II Is
necessary that some machinery OF OPP
Grafton be set up before either mont
gomery or Prince Georges can expect
to get desired aid or administer the
TunuS WHICH lhS 0ldlC oi0
Government undoubtedly will provide.
Commission Apart.
Onnonents of the park and planning
scheme have argued that the new
commission is to be dominated py lne
sanitary commission, but proponents
of the plan point out that such is not
to be the case. The sanitary commits
sion, by virtue of the character or lts
work, has been forced to use large
engineering force, and in the course
of it's work has provided an elaborate
set of maps and plans of the entire
area to be affected by the proposed
coming, park and planning work. The
commission will work independently
of the sanitary commission in all re
spects save in the utilization OF sanl-
tary commission maps and engineer
ing forces 1t is pointed out that IN
asmuch as the machinery has already
been established for such work ano
now is being maintained, 1t would be
unwise to set up an independent en-
gineering force, which would cost tne
taxpayers additional tens OF thousands
of dollars The chairman of the sani
tary commission will be only $500-a
year member OF the commission ane
not it's head, and this liaison IL be
iieved advantageous. Only the chair
man Of the new body is to receive
$4,000 a year. 1t is pointed out thai
only the highest type of men are to bt
placed on the commission, men whC
will be Indifferent to salary, but those
desirous of performing, unselfishly
the important work ahead. If the coun
ties employed on a full-time basis th'
type CT men best fitted to carry for
ward this work it is argued that the
salary of each commissioner prob
ably would have to be $4,000 a yeal
before they would attract the type OF
men best fitted TO carry on the work
Status of Commission.
The park and planning commission
10 be created under the proposed &C
tion is to be an outgrowth of the ma
tional law which provides for Fedora
appropriations in the territory o
greater Washington development ant
embracing Montgomery and Prime
Georges Counties. This legislation pro
vides that the national commission &C
operate with like commissions in Wiz
ginia and Maryland, and Gov Ritchi
named the existing de facto commits
sion early last Summer in order tina
Maryland interests might be advanced
with the national commission. Th
Maryland body now has no powers AM