Evening star., 1928-02-19
BUDGET VETO OF PARK
FUND THREATENS PLAN
Available Land in District, Maryland
and Virginia May Be Lost Through
Lack of Federal Aid.

! ance Of its plans to extend the Fedora
park system into them.
Another very important reason is the
( the amount is so small compared To III:
price and the quantity of land which
should be purchased that all land whicl
should be acquired here cannot b.
bought. Much of it already has beer
] rendered useless for park purposes. al.
though included in the early plans L
has been repeatedly pointed on: by The
planners that unless the fund was ma.
terially increased it could not be eX.
pected that the necessary lands coulc
b. purchased before they we're used fol
building purposes. The organic act au.
tlloriZes the appropriation of an amount
equal to cent for each inhabitant o.
the continental United States. But the
full amount allowed by the act has
never been appropriated by Congress,
/ The fear that the lands might quickly
become unavailable, and in an effort tc
get them rapidly and set them aside
before the builders had gotten in theii
work led to the proposal for loan from
the Federal Treasury of Sl0.000000
This, it was proposed. should be used
for the immediate purchase of the land
and then it could be paid back by the
annual appropriation of S600.000 or by
any other amount which Congress. in
its wisdom. might appropriate. This
also. it was argued. would leave to pos
terity. who would get the most ENJOY
ment out Of the purchases. the duty OF
Shouldering some of the debt.
While the authorization of the $780,
0o0. as propos ID in the rejected bill
might interfere with the immediate
economy measures of the Federal Gov
ernment. nevertheless. il was pointed
out. it would in reality be a very big
economy move. The provision of the
money now. 1t was added. would make
It possible to purchase virgin lands in
now undeveloped sections. but in the
line Of advancing population. and at
very low prices compared to what the
Government will have to pay in later
years, when the density OF population
has actually reached the areas laid
down by the planners for development.
In the original plans were included
proposals TO develop the watersheds
IN the metropolitan area, and preserve
them, as Rock Greek and the Anacostia
River have been preserved within the
District. However, since these prelim-
mary plans were developed, and the
proposal accepted that the Federal Gov
ernment aid in the development Of the
metropolitan areas. Lieut. Col. L. S.
Grant. Sd. executive officer of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Con-
mission. has made the proposal Eat
the Federal Government. in lieu of
spending its proportion of the money
on projects here and there in the
metropolitan area. undertake one great
development. The Potomac River gorge
between Chain Bridge at the District
OF Columbia boundary line and a point
above Great Falls was proposed as it
is desirable to hold this land for park
purposes, according to the city planners.
They are so strongly in favor OF a
great park project in this wild and
beautiful section that they have entered
vigorous objections before the FEDERAL
Power Commission against applications
pending for preliminary permits 10 build
great power project there Construc-
ton OF a power project there II was
pointed out by the planners. would have
doubtful economic value. and would
forever destroy the value OF the Sec
ton for great national park wherein
Is located one Of the most beautiful
attractions that can be found in close
proximity to any capital of the world
the Greats Falls of the Potomac.
The planning commission also has
taken the stand that IL 1t was finally
determined TO turn the Falls into a
power development project that 1t by
all means should be done by a public.
rather than private agency. But
delay IN the provision OF the funds. il
was concluded. may even result in the
passing Of the value of the territory
for park purposes