Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-31
The Cramton Bill Passes.

In passing the Cramtop park bill yes
terday the House approved sensible
compromise on the question Of future
power or navigation development of the
Potomac While authorizing the pur-
chase Of land along the Potomac, around
and below Great Falls. for park pur-
poses, Congress reserves the right at
some future time to permit the use Of
the land and river for other purposes.
That is sensible enough. No one can
foresee accurately what viii be the de-
mand for power development along the
Potomac in the next fifty years, or Of
what Importance the Potomac viii Is.
sumo in q network Of inland waterways.
On the other hand, the need for ac-
QUESTION of this territory for park pur-
poses is at the moment pressing. It's
purchase specifically for park develop
ment prevents action on the part Of
commercial interests that might mean
irretrievable loss Of the Potomac gorge
to the people In whose keeping it should
be. The Cramton bill, as amended,
vests the right of priority in land pur-
chase in the hands of the Park and
Planning Commission, and the commits
sion viii continue to have that right
until the burden Of proof, IS Repre-
sentative Bankhead Of Alabama said
yesterday in debate, is met from some
other source to set it aside.
AS for the pressing need to buy the
land now. Representative Dallfnger
explained during debate that Not
only Is it going to cost US more II
we delay the passage of this bill, but
it is going to be impossible to preserve
the beauties Of the Potomac Valley.
You gentlemen who are familiar with
the National Capital park situation
know that right here in the city OF
washington, because Of the delay on
the part Of Congress, Rock Greek Park
has been continually encroached upon
by residential development, which not
only has impaired forever the beauty
Of that park, but has constantly dimin-
ished the nov Of the creek itself. One
Of the purposes Of this bill is to pre-
vent further dininution Of the now Of
Rock Greek and further encroachnent
by private interests and thus to pre-
serve the. beauties Of the PctOmac
valley" .
May the Senate take Q similar atti-
tude toward the legislation and prompt
~ pass It.
n, a~1ra,ys,.r, atIa~w auaa~dynanSa "a
the Cramton bill eliminating private
toll bridge over Great Falls and loosely
providing, without being SPECIFIC about
It, the construction Of q "free bridge"
across the Potomac Eat or near Great
Falls" the House took action that Is
not founded on any very good reason.
Two years ago Congress authorized
the construction Of . toll bridge across
the river near Great Falls, retaining the
right, Of course, to buy the bridge II It
chose. II further stipulated that the
bridge plans should be approved by the
Fine Arts Commission, adequately
guarding against an ugly and unat-
tractive structure. FOR two years the
interests seeking to build this bridge
have been working, and doubtless have
spent lot Of money. Now, with prac-
tically no warning, and when nearly
ready to begin construction, they are
cut OF by this amendment.
The objection to toll bridges u well
known and needs no further discussion
here. At the same time, construction
of toll bridges by private interests Is
sometimes the only way to secure tran
ait ways over streams. After they are
up, the people may acquire them when
they choose. But the point here is
that II Congress did not want the toll
bridge built, the time to say so was
two years ago, not now.
It may be many years before the en-
tire George Washington Memorial
Parkway project Is realized, even II
Congress completes action on the Cram
ton bill at this session. Representa-
tive Moore Of Virginia, discussing the
cooperative action between the Federal
Government and the States Of Mary
land and Virginia necessary before the
land can be bought, called attention to
the fact that with the Legislature Of
one State meeting bisnnially and the
Legislature Of the other adjourning In
March, 1T viii be good long time
before the project will materialise, 80
far as either Maryland or Virginia is
concerned"
But If Congress viii do its part by
completing action on the Cramton bill
now, the time will be shortened.