Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
DAMS WOULD RUIN
GREAT FAtLSPARK,
COMMISSION HOLDS
Majority Opposes JadWin in
His Stand for Power
Development.
DUAL PROJECT is HELD
TO BE UNSATISFACTORY
Combination Proposals Conflict,
Group Declares, Advocating
Keeping Valley Beautiful.

Preservation of the Great Falls of the
Potomac as natural park for WASH
ington and the Nation has been urged
on the Federal Power Commission by
the majority of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission In q re-
port which the power body made public
today.
At the same time, the commission
gave out a minority report filed by
Lieut.. Gen. Edgar Jadwin, former chief
Of Army Engineers, who retired last
week, that power development at Great
Falls should be allowed to proceed and
that by rational development of Poto-
mac River resources, a financial benefit,
estimated at $4s,0o0,o0O would ensue"
Gen. Jadwins minority report was filed
in his capacity as chairman of the plan
ming commission and holds that park
and power development can proceed
side by side.
Gen. Jadwin recommended several
days ago that a preliminary permit be
granted the Potomac River Corporation
of Wilmington, Del, to examine hydro
electric possibilities at Great Falls and
other related points in the Potomac
River Basin.
No steps for power development can
be taken, however, until Congress has
considered the power and park commits
sions' reports, which will be transmitted
about December. The Federal Power
Commission now Is engaged in writing
its own report on the subject.
Adopted at 1928 Session.
The majority report revealed that this
resolution was adopted at the December,
1928, meeting by the majority of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission: Resolved, that the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission favors the acquisition of the
Potomac Valley from Chain Bridge to
and including Great Falls. and the de-
yeiopment of this area for park pul-
poses as funds may be made available,
leaving it open for Congress at any
future time to authorize the develop
ment Of the navigation, fiood control
and power potentialities Of the area
should such development become Of
greater Importance and be justified in
the public interest"
The majority, in its report, insists
on this point: THE two objectives Of
economically developing power on a
large scale from the Potomac River and
Of conserving the peculiar and charac-
teristic scenic, recreational and inspira-
tional values Of this part Of the Potomac
River Valley are so essentially In con-
1lict that they cannot both be attained
in satisfactory degree. Therefore, the
only basis for avoiding an inefficient
and illogical compromise Is to determine
which Of these two objectives should be
the controlling or dominant purpose,
and then to seek, as by-product, so
much and only so much of the other
objective as Is consistent with the fully
successful attainment of the objective
selected as the dominant one.
Combinations Aims Are Given.
"The combination park and power
mittee represent, essentially, attempt to
arrive at thoroughly successful eco
nonic development Of the potential
water-power of the Potomac River in
such a way as would permit the in
cidental creation of as good q park
on the margins Of that development as
Is consistent with the controlling pur-
pose Of power production. They tend
to indicate that If power development is
to be he conrolling objective. a park
could be created, even so, that would
probably be well worth the cost which
its creation would add to that of q
power project designed wholly without
regard to park values. But it would
be totally different kind Of park from
the natural valley. And the price Of
creating this different and less valuable
kind of park would not be merely o
matter Of dollars and of the lapse of
many years for the healing Of scars, out
would include the destruction Of es-
Sential characteristics which make the
present natural river valley unique end
distinctive es an appendage Of :he Ma
tional Capital.
1T therefore would seem inadvisable
to decide now upon the destruction for
all time Of the scenic and recreational
and tnspirational assets Of such large
prospective importance as those included
IN the valley Of the Potomac at the
doors Of the National Capital"
Against this view, Gen. Jadw1n sets
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column -