Evening star., 1927-05-09
CONFERENCE OPENS
ON CITY PLANNING
Development of Washington
and Environs Is Special
Topic for Tomorrow.

Regional planning, such as Wash
ington is now working out in co.opera.
ton with nearby Maryland and Vir.
ginia, has become an essential prob.
lem for every large city, in the opin.
ion of Gordon Whitnall, director of
the City Plan Commission of Los An.
geles, Calf, who was the opening
speaker at the first formal session OF
the nineteenth National Conference
on City Planning at Wardman Park
Hotel this afternoon.
In an interview this morning on the
subject of regional planning, which
was his topic at this afternoons meet.
Ing, Mr.. Whitnall declared that it had
become a necessary function Of all
large centers Of population to cooper.
ate with the various communities sur
rounding them in developing regional
plans, if orderly and systematic
growth is TO be achieved.
Mr.. Whitnall, who has been identi.
fed with regional planning for the
area surrounding Los Angeles, said
that he was not sufficiently familiar
with the details of what is being done
in Washington to discuss it in a tech.
nical way, but said he knew the Ma.
tional Capital has taken long strides
toward developing a regional plan.
Plan Important Here.
He expressed the belief that a
regional plan Is of unusual impor.
tance in Washington, because of the
limited area covered by the Federal
city and the extent to which it has
been built up near the boundary OF
Maryland and Virginia. In his ad.
dress to the conference this after.
noon Mr.. Whitnall will discuss in a
board manner the entire subject of
regional planning, telling in particu-
lar of what has been done in Los
Angeles and vicinity. which began
laying out regional plan in 1924,
being the first locality to establish a
regional planning commission.
More than 800 technical experts and
laymen who are interested in city
planning problems came into Wash
lngton last night and this morning
from every corner of the country for
the three-day gathering, at which
every phase of the far-reaching city
planning movement will be discussed
In scientific way by men who have
made a long study of the particular
topics assigned to them.
Will Discuss Washington.
OF particular interest to the Dis.
trict of Columbia will be the fourth
session, at 8 o'clock tomorrow night.
which is to be devoted to discussion
OF the development of the National
capital anG its environs by officials
and members of the various agencies
dealing with planning problems here.
After registering at convention
headquarters at Wardman Park at 8
o'clock this morning, the delegates
attended an informal reception in one
OF the hotel lobbies at IL o'clock.
The conference got under way at
12:15 with welcoming luncheon. at
which DIR. Alfred Shaw, editor of the
Review of Reviews, spoke and District
Commissioner Dougherty made the
formal address of welcome on behalf
of the people of the District.
Business Sessions Begin.
First business sessions began at 2
O'Clock with John Nolen, president of
the conference in the chair. Mr..
Nolen is a well known city planner of
Cambridge, Mass.
There were two general topics at
the afternoon session, namely: "Public
Services Which Require Regional
Planning and Control" and Govern.
mental Orga nization to Promote Re-
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