Evening star., 1927-10-23
DISTRICT GROUP TO JOIN
TOUR OF NEW ENGLAND
Capital Delegates May Air Park Struggle
Here as Civic Body Inspects Develop
ment of Boston Area.
BY BEN McKELWAY.

"OMORROW in Boston some
half a hundred experts and
others interested in the vital
L ly important subjects of city
and regional planning will
gather for their first travelling an
nual meeting" under the auspices OF
the American Civic Association. Dur
ing the five full days Of the meeting
they will be taken on tours of the
Boston metropolitan district, the
Providence metropolitan district and
the Connecticut Valley from Spring.
field to Greenfield, obtaining on these
tours a visual explanation of what
these areas, centers as they are of a
dense industrial population, have done
to preserve their natural surround.
ings and to coordinate their develop.
ment.
At stopping places between the tours
there experts will exchange opinions
concerning the newly awakened en-.
deavor on the part of rapidly expand.
ing communities to plan their growth
in advance instead of spreading out
hodge-podge, cultivating rather than
destroying their beauty. Much of
what is seen and said is expected to
be discussed in reference to the Ma.
tional Capital. For today Washington
is the focal point Of a belated national
interest which centers in steps now
in progress to make it an ideal Capital
in the matter Of parks, parkways and
Fairgrounds.
Meeting of Interest Here.
This meeting will be of interest to
Washington, not only because of what
1t may develop with reference to the
plans for Washington's future, but
because it will constitute another step
In the many which recently have been
taken toward establishing Nation
wide pressure eXerted toward the
proper treatment Of the American
Capital. This movement has been
gaining steadily in momentum, and
much of it is due directly to the ef.
forts OF the American Civic Associa-
tion and its Committee of One Hun
dred on the Federal City and the IS
other active committees on the Fed
eraI CITY In as many cities through.
out the United States.
These organizations have been in
sistently preaching the gospel of the
necessity for regional planning and
proper park development for Wash
ington and its metropolitan district.
and largely through their efforts leg
islation was enacted in 1924 which
brought into being what is now the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. This step was an indi-
cation OF the increasing enthusiasm
throughout the country over the
prospect OF making the growth tof the
Capital an ideal growth. But at
time when this enthusiasm, which
took so long to kindle, is burning
brightly. rather strange paradox
presents itself. Washingtonians, who
worked faithfully and vaiiantly to fan
into flame the national interest in the
proper growth and development of the
Capital, are beginning to show some
alarm lest they be severly scorched
by the heat. They are becoming only
too plainly aware of the fact that
while the millions of their fellow citi.
zens throughout the Nation are SYM
pathetic with efforts to build a great
Federal City, these citizens have no
understanding of the conditions under
which the Capital is being built. La
boring under the impression that they
are taking the part of citizens by con-
yibuting to this building Of Nation
~ Capital, these citizens throughout
the country would doubtless be sur.
prised to learn that the great Federal
project upon which they embarked
with so much good viii has developed
into a purely local proposition, paid
for almost wholly from municipal
funds, appropriated for on the same
basis that the city refuse department
is appropriated for and discussed in
the hallowed halls of Congress as If
1t were selfish enterprise on the
part Of. Washingtonians to boom
their city and their real estate; some
f6AVAFnRA % h. 81 wgAn.
grave suspicion and distrust.
Want Local Burden Lifted.
Washingtonians are beginning to
feel that the laudable efforts of those
who are responsible for building up
sentiment throughout the Nation in
favor of proper development of the
National Capitol should pause just
long enough to bring the assurance
that this sentiment will not assume
the characteristics of a boomerang and
return to smite Washingtonians.
There may be broached for discus.
sion at the Boston meeting, for in
stance, the fact that the National Cap.
ftal Park and Planning Commission,
which is doing such good work now
toward regional development of the
Capital, fayors a bond issue, or
310,000,000 advance from the Treas
ury Department, which would enable
1t to accomplish within a few years
what 1t viii require perhaps 25 years
TO accomplish at the present rate of
100000 a year so far made available
by Congress. And it would be help
full to the residents of the Capital If it
were explained, at the same time, why
so many Washington citizens asso-
Citations during the last month, all of
iV - v1
park development, are opposing this
bond issue or Treasury advance when
to secure it would seem, on the sur.
face, to be q most desirable thing.
It might be well to acquaint this
Boston gathering of national city plan
ners and advocates Of a finer Capital
that such opposition is founded, not
on the large amount OF money involv-
ed, nor upon any doubt that it would
be well spent, but is based on we'll
grounded suspicion that such an ad.
vance will be repaid almost wholly out
OF District funds to complete a project
which is universally regarded as ma
fional and countrywide in its impor.
tance and appeal.
Plan Founded on Economy.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission is not a body given
10 seeking huge sums of money from
the citizens in order to indulge in an
orgy of spending on parks and play.
grounds. While the proposal for the
SIC, ,00O, 900 advance, to become avail.
able at the rate of $2,000,000 year
for S years, originated in the Park and
Planning Commission, it has not yet
been carefully studied by Congress.
But when this plan is ready for
study, it will be founded on good
economy and not on pleasant dreams.
The Park and Planning Commission
has put in some good work seeking
general program for the creation of re-
craational centers within the District;
a program which, when realized, will
assure each community of the Capt.
tai an adequate area of that sort. 1t
has also been devoting time and
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