Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-31
$23, 100000 Is Povided to
Carry Out Washington Me-
mortal Boulevard Plans.
GREAT FALLS TOLL SPAN
AUTHORITY is REVOKED
SIC, 000,0 900 of Total Fund Is to Be
Used for Acquisition of Land
Within District.

! from fOrC washington ana Mount YER
non to Great Falls, was passed by the
House by a vote of 1879 to "a late yes.
terday.
Three important amendments were
adopted. Chairman Dempsey of thu
House rivers and harbors committee
/ presented an amendment, which carrie.
the approval Of Secretaries Hyde anc
Hurley of the Departments of Agricul.
ture and War, members of the Fedora
Power Commission, designed to meet the
opposition Of the power development
advocates. This reserves authority thai
Congress may at any time in the future
If it considered that public interest de.
mands, use the lands thus acquired fol
park purposes for navigation, power
drainage or other such developments.
Toll Bridge Is Revoked.
The authority previously given by act
of Congress to erect million-dollar toll
bridge at Great Falls is automatically
revoked by an amendment offered by
Representative Shafer. Republican, Of
Wisconsin, which reads: mo private
toll bridge shall be built within the
confines Of the George Washington
Parkway"
| Previously an amendment was adopted
on motion of Representative La Guardia
Republican, of New York directing that
"a free bridge across the Potomac at or
near Great Falls" be erected.
TV-ov kOva ~ he
| Senate, where Senator Norris of Ne
braska, outstanding opponent of toll
bridges, is expected to lead the fight to
retain the Schafer amendment. Repre-
sentative Moore of Virginia emphasized
the injustice Of thus automatically re-
versing the authority granted by Con-
greSS under which the Great Falls
Bridge Co., in which many Washing
ton, Maryland and Virginia people are
siderable expense with preparations for
erecting the bridge.
$4,000, 900 for Parks.
Out of the $23 5000 900 expenditure
authorized by the bill, 10000, 900 is for
acquisition Of land within the District
of Columbia for park and playground
purposes. The total amount is to be
paid back to the Federal Treasury at
the rate of 100000 year from Dis
trict revenues.
During the two hours debate in the
House under the special rule which
gave the Cramton bill privileged con-
sideration, Representative Bowman, Re-
publican, of West Virginia protested
vigorously that the United States under
this bill is sharing the cost of purchas-
ing land with the States of Maryland
and Virginia, but requires the District
taxpayers to pay the full cost, and
pointed out that the contribution Of the
Federal Government is only $7,000,000
as compared with $16,000,000 by the
District, and that not one cent of the
Federal contribution is to acquire land
in the District, but entirely in Maryland
| and Virginia.
The $1,000 900 for acquisition of land
| in Maryland and Virginia is on $3.50
basis regarding areas to be acquired for
the George Washington Memorial boule-
ward project, and one-third from the
Federal Treasury and two-thirds from
the States regarding extensions Of Rock
Greek and Anacostia Pathways.
DaIlinger Explains.
Representative Dallinger, Republican
of Massachusetts,, member OF the
House committee on public buildings
and grounds, on whose motion the bill
was reported last year and again this
year, replied to Mr. Bowman that this
| bill places no additional burden on the
District taxpayers because 1t is already
| substantive law that 81 ,000, 900 annually
shall be expended for acquisition Of
land for park purposes He explained
that the advantage for the District is ir
getting the full 100000 available al
once so as to buy the land before prices
are advanced or before desirable tracts
are despoiled by industrial or other de-
velopment
In protesting against the Schafel
amendment prohibiting the building o!
a toll bridge, Representative Moore o.
Virginia said "If the bridge should BIZ
built, the Government will have no diff
flculty in taking it over and using it al
a free bridge.
"On the other hand, nobody can fore.
cast how long it will take to carry out
the project Contemplated by this bill
1t may be years. Meanwhile there viii
be no method of travel across the Pc.
tomac River at or near the Falls. Il
there any justice in defeating the effort!
of the Maryland and Virginia public Il
have provided a means of communica.
ton between those States across thu
river, even If it be toll bridge, pend.
ing the uncertainty as to when this bill
should it become law, will be carried
into effect and free bridge con.
| Structed?
This is nothing more nor less than .
renewal Of the effort made by the gen.
tleman from Wisconsin in the last Con.
gress to defeat the bill authorizing tn,
construction of the bridge. That bill
was passed and then repassed, providinS
for a bridge across the river at thu
point in question. 1t seems clear tina
the public interest will not be served
by adopting the gentleman's amend
ment. If the amendment, on the con
trary, is rejected. the public interes
cannot suffer at all, because when thu
time arrives the whole matter is goin,
to be in the discretion Of the Govern.
ment and there can be free bridg
instead OF a toll bridge.
Expenses Incurred Cited.
Private interests have already In
CURED expense. The bridge compan
has made its plans, has EMPLOYED 1t
engineers, has submitted the who'll
matter to the War Department. ha
gotten permit and, as am informed
has secured the money and is about +
begin construction. Yet, forsooth. her
now, on the urgent appeal of the gen
tleman from Wisconsin, who has beel
a relentless foe of the bridge, the Hous
is asked to support his amendment an
! destroy the possibility almost, certainl
during all OF mT time and the time Q