Evening star., 1931-12-03
Trees and Jurisdictions.

Inclusion Of the Office of the Architect
Of the Capitol in the co-ordinating COM
mittee Of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission following the de-
struction Of elms on East Capitol street
incident to the placing there of a
lamentable and needless act of van
oalism somewhat in the nature Of lock-
ing the stable door after the horse is
stolen. 1t seems never to have occurred
10 any one until this happening that the
Jurisdiction" over the Capitol grounds,
with all its foliage growth, should be
included in the general supervisory
control Of the agency which is charged
with the making and In some measure
the execution Of plans for the park de-
velopment Of Washington.
Mr.. Frederic A. Delano. chairman of
the Park and Planning Commission,
notes that there is great need of CO.
ordination and yet it is exceedingly
difficult to bring it about in a Gov
eminent where there are so many COM
missions The Co-ordinating Commit
tee is merely an advisory body which
sits with members of the Park and
Planning Commission staff to consider
important projects before they ale
adopted. 1t comprises representatives
Of the Office of the District Engineer
Commissioner, representing the highway
department, the sewer and water de-
partmentS and others. Whenever any,
thing is proposed these representatives
are consulted and operations are plan
ned and in great measure co-ordinated,
Now that the architect Of the Capitol
is to be included there will probably
be no more tree destruction in antici-
patton Of street widening near the
Capitol that is still to be authorized.
This extension of the Co-ordinatinp
Committee, however, does not positively
assure consistency in the treatment of
the parks and the streets in respect to
the natural growths of which W. hing
ton is proud and which constitute one
OF its greatest attractions. There is
lacking definite authority that is still
needed, Jurisdiction" which controls
the specific planning and care of the
natural elements, even as the Commits
sion OF Fine Arts in its advisory ca
pacity controls architectural designs
and in some measure their emplace-
ments.
Ihe needless, unwarranted and de-
plorsble destruction of the elms on East
Capitol street should lead to the crea-
ton by act Of Congress, if that is neces-
Sary, OF a supervisory authority which
has control over landscape planning
and maintenance in the District The
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission has no maintenance juris-
diction over the parks and the streets,
The care Of the trees and the streets
Is left to the District Commissioners
The care Of the parks is within the
jurisdiction OF the Director of Public
Buildings and Public Parks. The care
OF the Capitol Grounds is in the hands
OF the architect. Coordination of all
OF these agencies in conjunction with
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission will perhaps prevent need
less distinctions, but will not provide
for a systematic and uniform care Of
the trees end other natural growths
that are the crowning glory of the
Capital. An authority of this character
extending to the boundaries Of the Dis
trict and inclusive of all spaces within
them is required.