Evening star., 1932-03-18
PARK BOARD TOLD
OF VIRGINIA BILLS
Resume of Legislative Actlv-
ity at Richmond Given
to Commission.

While preparations were going Tor
ward for the special exhibit tonight IN
the new National Museum. Ientn
street at Constitution avenue, in which
university groups are participating, the
National Capital Park and PLANNING
Commission today heard resume o.
legislative activity in the Virginia Leg
islature and in the National Congress.
Thomas S. Settle, the commission S
secretary. explained the various meas
ures passed by the Legislature at Rlch-
mond. including the $25, 1000 approprla-
ton for the George Washington Memo
rial Parkway, the proposed Virginia
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission and Port Of Washington
Authority measures. Chairman Norton
of the House District Committee, who
is an ex-oficio member of the commits
sion. sat in at the morning hearing.
To Submit Studies.
The commission decided to send to
the Board of Education and the District
Commissioners studies completed by its
staff for the development OF the Fort
drive, from Connecticut avenue to the
Fort Reno section, as part of the pre-
tentious motorway that will link up the
historic Civil War forts encirclipg the
city. It is understood that these studies
contain a suggested location for a high
school in that area, but the commission
declined to make them public until the
other governmental groups have had op-
portunity to examine them.
The commission arranged to consider
problems relating to the so-called
Northwest building area, bounded by
New York and Constitution avenues
and Sevente enth street.
Alumni Cooperate.
At tonights session In the auditorium
of the New National Museum, Tenth
street and Constitution avenue, at 8
o'clock, these college and university
alumni organizations here are CO.
operating with the commission: Chi
cago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke,
Harvard, Michigan, Princeton, william
and Mary and Yale.
There will be illustrated talks, mov-
ing pictures and an exhibition of
models and drawings, under the
auspices of the commission.
AS a result of yesterdays action by
the commission, a conference is tenta-
lively scheduled with the District
Commissioners for tomorrow morning,
to attempt to iron out differences over
the street closing bill, now pending in
Congress. The planners want co-equal
power with the Commissioners in the
closing of streets, while the District
government heads desire that the
planners have merely advisory action.
The planners foresee their whole pro-
gram of future development for the city
jeopardized by lack Of proper jurisdic-
ton, If their powers are to become
merely consultative.
Planning regulations, major and
minor streets and the general highway
plan are to be discussed at the con-
ference.
Action Rescinded.
The George Washington Memorial
Parkway does not lie within the Dis
trict, the planners decided yesterday in
resembling their former action. The
area between Potomac avenue and the
river, between Key Bridge and the Dis
trict line, along the Chesapeake q Ohio
Canal property, will revert back to the
Potomac Palisades status. the commits
sion ruled. Previously this area was to
be set apart as included in the George
Washington Memorial Parkway. The
commission took this stand after it in
terpreted the Capper- -Cramton park
purchase act setting up the memorial
parkway as meaning that the new sys-
tenn will exist only in Virginia and
Maryland, southwark from Great Falls
to Mount Vernon and Fort Washing
ton, respectively.
The present status of the national