Evening star., 1932-04-16
D. c. PARK PROGRAM
IS SENDANGEREDB BY
BAN ON PURCHASES
Buying of Land in Maryland,
Virginia and District Re-
ported Prohibited.
COLLINS AMENDMENT
ASSAILED BY OFFICIALS
Further Obligations Cannot Be In
Cured Under Capper-Cram-
ton Act.
The $4,000 contribution of Virginia

The $4,000 contribution of Virginia
toward development of the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and
donations from private sources in that
State, as well as in Maryland, to say
nothing of the purchase of land for
parks, Fairgrounds and recreation CEN
ters in the District under the Capper-
Cramton act. will be seriously jeop-
ardized if the amendment offered by
Representative Collins. Democrat, OF
Mississippi and written into the Dis
trict appropriation bill yesterday by
the House prevails.
The Collins amendment directs that
unless otherwise permitted by law, nc
further obligation can be incurred un-
der appropriations made to carry out
the Capper-Cramton park-purchaSe act
That was the opinion expressed to-
day by officials of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. Land
areas that could be purchased now at
comparatively reasonable figures, If the
money were made available, are likely
to be built upon or otherwise improved
officials said, so the Government will
pay much more in the future, when
they are found necessary.
BLOCKS Further PurcnaSe.
The effect of the Collins amendment
Is much more drastic than at first con-
ceived. First published reports said it
would hamper land purchasing activi-
ties only in the George Washington
Memorial Parkway, but closer scrutiny
of the measure convinced officials to-
day that it means nothing further can
be purchased in Virginia, Maryland or
the District.
Lieut. Col U. S. Grant, Sd, vice chair
man and executive officer of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, today explained the Collins
amendment IS total prohibition
against further land purchases by his
organization in the District, Maryland
and Virginia.
The commission had available
SIS 5,00O 900, from which purchases could
have been made. This was made in
81 100000 appropriation two years ago
and s4,oo0,000 last year. Beyond
comparatively small tract of land north
of the District line in Maryland, which
has already been arranged for, no land
purchases in the George Washington
Memorial Parkway, extending south
ward from Great Falls to Mount Ver-
non, Va, and Fort Washington, Md,
have been made.
Owners Donated Half
The small Maryland tract, initiating
the park program, cost around $4,000,
and the firm of Walker g. Loughboro
as owners, donated a half share of the
purchase price. Under the Capper-
Cramton act, the Federal Government
matches a dollar for every dollar ad-
vanced by Maryland, Virginia, or pri-
vate donor, in the Memorial Parkway
project. In development of the nearby
Maryland valleys Maryland, or its po-
litlcal subdivisions, or private donors,
contribute two-thirds of the land price
and the Federal Government one-third.
The State of Virginia authorized
appropriation of S25, 1000 and permitted
the counties in which the boundaries
OF the George Washington Memorial
Parkway would lie to expend SIS 1000
tribution from Virginia would be
matched by $4,000 from the Federal
Government. If the Collins amend
ment is enacted into law, officials point
ed out, this would bar Uncle Sam from
spending his $4,000.
AS yet Maryland has not spent a dol
lar on the memorial parkway, but it
has made expenditures in development
OF the nearby Maryland valleys Under
the Capper-Cramton park purchase act
the Federal Government may lend the
entire amount for park development for
eight years and take bonds as security
This it has done in the case of Rock
Greek unit No l in Maryland, adjoin-
ing the District development expending
Sl44000 for this. OF the $144000,
$4,000 was loan to Maryland and the
balance was the Federal Governments
contribution.
100000 Spent in Valley.
In Sligo Valley a total of 500, 900 has
been spent by the Federal Government,
100000 representing a loan, with the
remainder being Uncle Sans contribu-
tion under the Capper- -Cramton act.
Pending before the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. for
consideration at its meeting the latter
part OF the month, is an appropriation
of S250,000 for Rock Greek unit No 2
in Maryland This quarter of a million
dollars involves the gift and loan, the
Federal Government making its GUS
tomary one-third contribution under
the act
Maryland has appropriated s14O, 900
Tor the park development in its nearby
valleys. Speaking Of the $4,000, 900
appropriated for the National Capital
N4N ain Ioi4l44A4s SOlllIlISolOIl uilueT
the Capper-Cramton act-the sum that
was the target OF Representative Col
Inns amendment-Col. Grant said to-
day:
All this money either has been ex-
pended or obligated or is needed for
approved projects, most of which are
now under negotiation"
Would Affect Parkway.
Part Of the Cabin John Parkway pro-
gram would be affected by the Collins
amendment, in the colonels opinion.
Col. E. N. Chisolm, jr, engineer of
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, today expressed the opin-
lon that the Collins amendment would
not affect the purchase of Rock Greek
unit No. 2. as this has already been
obligated, and the section Of the bill
added by the Mississippi Representative
would net disturb funds already con-
tracted for
Capt. ChiSolm pointed out that in the
District it IS vital for the commission
TO protect, by purchase. some spots of
land suitable for the Fort Drive de-
Velopment and Fairgrounds, parks and
recreation centerS. In the future, he
asserted. these lands would cost the
Government much more than the price
for which they may now be purchased.
Under the commissions program, 1t
has placed lands in three categories
Those which should be purchased forth
with, as they are key properties; those
on which the commission has its eye,
but which are not slated for immediate
oV7l 1ovn de trrk.4 ~