Evening star., 1929-12-21
.CRAMTON SPEAKS
|. FOR PARK SYSTEM
Author of Bill to Spend Is
Millions for D. c. Beautifi.
cation Tells Advantages.

Representative Cramton or Michigan,
author Of the George Washington
Boulevard and parkway development
bill, which proposed immediate ex-
penditure of $4,000 900 in the Dis
trict and 100000 in Maryland and
Virginia for acquisition and preserva-
tion Of desirable sites to give the Ma
tional Capital a proper setting and an
unsurpassed parkway system, put into
the Congressional Record today, by
permission Of the House, the statement
by the National Capital Park and Plan
| ming Commission published In The Star
| yesterday.
Mr.. Cramton emphasizes that the
District OF Columbia will benefit largely
| through this legislation. The District
is now paying a million dollars a year
for park developments. Under the
Cramton bill this would be continued
for l6 years for finished job instead of
continuing indefinitely under the pres
ent law.
Would Save Good Sites.
He points out that If the present
situation was continued, eventually the
District would have to pay $25, 900, 900
or $30,000,00 for what Is to be acquired
now for $4,000, 900 and would lose some
| OF the most desirable sites. He also
points out that the values on these
| lands are now going up at the rate of
| about 10 per cent q year and argues
that with the District spending a mil
/ lion dollars year to acquire sites that
| are jumping up to 81 SOC, 900, the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission Is steadily losing ground. even
with the million-dollar-a-year expend-
iture.
Representative Cramton, who was the
author of the SO 900 900 lump-sum plan
Of fiscal relations between the Federal
and District Governments, which has
been in operation for several years, de-
clareS that as far as share by the
Federal Government in the park de-
development program is concerned that
question will be determined each year.
He does not attempt to decide the ques-
ton of fiscal relations for the future
in this bill. He considers that the
emergency is so acute and that the
necessity for acquiring these park
lands now Is SO urgent that he seeks
to avoid contentious from any source
over the matter of payment and the
Federal contribution.
Representative Cramton argues that
the Federal Governments advancing
OF $16000,0 900 without interest, together
with the admitted participation by the
Federal Government under the lump
National Capital, would really figure up
to 40 per cent or more of the cost.
Having thus explained his reason for
contending that this measure does net
entail any increased expense for the
District taxpayers, Representative
Cramton points out that under the
present law, some fractional part Of the
park appropriations may be expended
in acquiring sites in Maryland and
Virginia. His bill forever relieves the
District taxpayers of any such use of
fund of $7,OOO,O 900 for acquisition of
land outside OF the District and clearly
states that the entire $16OO0,OOO Is to
be used exclusively within the District.
Mr.. Cramton emphasizes that the Dis
trict will get great benefits out of this
improvement. It will be recreational
through the Improvement of the park
areas, and the gain through beautifica-
ton Of the Capital and its environ
ment will bring an increasing number
of visitors, he says.
Playground Benefit Local.
He calls attention to the fact that
there is a $4,000, 600 provision for play
grounds, which Is distinctly a local
beneflt. At the same time, he does not
attempt to evade the fact that the Fed
eral Government will also benefit
through the improvement.
Furthermore, as to the areas outside
Of the District, Representative Cram
ton feels that they will be of value to
the District residents, through protect
ing the parks in the District and that
they will also have large recreational
value for District people, and that Tor
these areas not one cent will be taken
from District tax funds.