Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
The Cramton Park Bill.

1T is our national ambition TO make
great and effective city for the seat OF
our Government, with q dignity, charac-
ter and symbolism truly representative
of America. AS Nation we have re-
solved that 1t shall be accomplished"
Thus wrote President Hoover in his
letter read at the great meeting Friday
night in Constitution Hall, where q dis
tinguished company had gathered in the
interest Of the Washington Of the future
One Of the steps that Congress can
take Immediately in pursuance of the
fine objective outlined by the President
is to pass the Cramton park bill. The
machinery now exists to carry to COM
pletion some of the great plans already
drawn for Washington and It's environs.
The Cramton bill supplies the money.
This bill, which was passed last year
by the House, but reached the Senate
, too late for action there. has been dis
cussed pro and con and its purposes are
by now generally known. 1t provides
an appropriation Of $23,000,0o0. Part
Of the money would be used in Maryland
and Virginia for extensions to the Cap
tails park and parkway system. Part
OF 1t would be used to develop and to
complete the proposed George Wash
. ington Memorial Parkway from Mount
Vernon to Great Falls along the Vir-
ginia shores of the Potomac and from
Fort Washington to Great Falls along
he hHa atAa aFf ha riynx InnI,.A
ing the acquisition and safeguarding Of
the gorge Of the Potomac and that por-
;. ton of the Chesapeake d Ohio Canal
I lying within the territory specified.
s Sixteen millions Of the fund appro-
priated would be advanced for expendi-
ture by the National Capital Park and
: Planning Commission In acquiring and
developing parks and Fairgrounds in
Washington.
Maryland and Virginia would share
one-half the cost of the projects in one
case, and would pay two-thirds the cost
in another, but the Federal Government
would advance all the necessary funds,
to be repaid without interest by the end
Of five years.
In the case Of the $160O0,000 ad-
vanced to the District, the money would
be repaid without interest in annual
installments Of 100000 each. The
Governments share would be repre-
sented by q fraction Of the annual Fed
. eral contribution to the District appro-
: priation bills, from which the 81, O0o, 900
will be taken, and by the interest rep
resented, but unpaid, on the loan Of the
: $4,000, 900.
On the grounds Of economy, and be-
cause the bill removes certain forInid-
able barriers that have blocked proper
park development In the past, The star
has previously placed itself on record as
!, approving the principle Of this measure.
and again urges that 1t should be
passed.
At the same time The Star emphasizes
again the fact that the bill as drawn Is
contrary to the original conception of
the Nations responsibility In Capital
building expressed in the act creating
the National Capital Park and Planning
. SOhlAlAocAOAt WAlCLCAA Az wac 6bARuA6bC0
that the funds expended should be ap-
propriated on the basis Of / cent for
every inhabitant Of the United States
Instead of permitting this Nation
wide participation in developing the
Federal park system Of the National
Capital. the original park and planning
legislation was amended. drawing the
funds from local appropriation meas
ures, putting the major burden on tax.
payers Of the Capital community.
The Cramton bill continues this In
equity. 1t does not increase the cos
Of developing Federal parks in anc
around Washington, for it does not In
crease the annual appropriations TO
this purpose now carried. But 1t mean
taking from the central community
disproportionate amount Of local funds
needed for local uses, to carry out tn
Federal scheme Of Federal city develop
ment.
The purpose of the Cramton bill
unquestionably sound. 1t Is economically
feasible. But 1t continues the unfai
and narrow minded system Of dividin
expenditures between the Capital an
the Nation in a manner that burden
the former and enables the latter t
shirk it's fair share of the cost.
1t is true that the remedy for TIL
condition should be applied elsewher
than in the Cramton bill. The rerned
lies In return to the lawfully provide
60-40 system Of appropriating for tn
Capital, or in increasing the lump SUI
to an amount approximating the
per cent that the Federal Governmer
is morally and lawfully bound to cor
tribute.
y The Crsmton park bill merely d
vides the cost for park acquisition an
development according TO the divisio
of cost specified In the annual apprc
'priation bills.
Correct the inequalities expresse
since 1925 in the annual appropriate
bills, and there can remain no logic
objection to the Cramton park bill.
Representative Moore to Retire
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