Evening star., 1934-04-27

Fairgrounds Included.
Under an amendment by Senator
Copeland, the Commissioners will be
expected to set aside some of the $l8,-
100000 for improvement and develop
ment of park and playground sites,
because under the Capper- -Cramton
law. the s2,000,00O allotted to the
lark Commission can be spent only
for acquiring land.
The dispute which preceded yester-
days committee action resulted from
the fear of the Parks Commission that
this public works bill will endanger
its chances Of getting future appro-
priations from Congress under the
Capper- -Cramton law, unless at least
S500,000 year of the Districts re-
payments were applied to park ad-
vances. The Capper-Cramton law
now requires the District government
to pay back ST 100000 a year on any
funds advanced under that law.
The District Commissioners and
Corporation Counsel Prettyman in
sisted that adequate hospital facilities,
school buildings and the sewerage
disposal plant are more essential at
this time than further park purchases.
They emphasized that the city's
financial condition would not stand a
continuation of the repayment of as
much as 81 900, 900 year on Capper-
Cramton park allotments and an
other Sl,000000 a year toward repay
ment of the proposed public works
loan.
Obligation TOO Heavy"
Although Congress has discontinued
the advancing of funds under the
Capper- -Cramton law, and the Dis
trict next year will repay the last
installment of funds heretofore ad-
vanced. the Commissioners felt that
Congress might at any time make
available further inStallments Of the
$l2000,000 Of remaining authorization
under the Cramton law. in which
event they would face too heavy a
refunding obligation unless the rate
of combined reimbursement under
both laws was held down to 81 ,250,000
annually The bill as approved by
the committee is only $50000 a year
above that figure. The Commission
ers also argued that, while the Park
Commission is getting no further
land-purchase funds from Congress
at present under the Capper-
law. it would have a chance to get
S2000,000 at once under this public
works bill, if the application of the
District is approved
When yesterdays meeting convened
Commissioner Hazen told Senator
King the District and park officials
had not agreed entirely. Mr.. Pretty
man, on behalf of the Commissioners,
then read a prepared statement ask
ing, in substance, that the committee
do one Of two things: Either elimi-
nate all reference to parks and its
s2,000,000 part of the program, or
limit annual compulsory repayment of
park funds to $250,000.
When Arno B. Cammerer, executive
officer of the Park and Planning Com
mission, arose to state his side of the
case, he began by stating that he
was present as a representative of
the Federal Government.
Park Work Explained.
Senator King asked him why it was
sion into a proposition that the Dis
trict government had prepared
namely, to borrow s1S,0OO,0 900 for
urgent public works. The Senator
pointed out that the park commits
sion has the Capper-Cramton law,
and, if left out of this bill. could ap-
ply TO Congress for further advances
out of the $l2,000,O0O not yet au-
thorized
Mr.. Cammerer said the problem
arose because the District Commits
sioners said they could not finance
their public works program at the
rate OF Sl,000,000 a year on top Of
Sl,000,000 a year Of reimbursements
under the park law. He then re-
peated his fear that the Commission
ers' bill would infringe on the Cap
per-Cramton law. To illustrate how
he thought the pending bill would en-
danger further allotmentS under the
park law, Cammerer said:
If we had a S5,000,000 advance
from Congress under the Capper-
Cramton law, it would take 20 years
for the District to pay it back at
S25OOOO a year. The District would
get the advantage of that, and the
Budget Bureau would undoubtedly
say to us, We won't grant you four
or five million. but limit you to ST.
100000 under that repayment plan. :"
High Land Price Hit.
While the relation of park pur-
chaSeS to assessed values was being
discussed Senator King said Il want
to say that I think some of the real
estate men of this town have robbed
the Government in the high prices
Tor land for school sites and other
purposes"
In urging that the Commissioners
be allowed to pay back the interest
bearing public works loan ahead
OF the non-interest-bearing Capper-
Cramton advances, Corporation Coun-
sci Prettyman showed it would cost
the people Of the District $4,000, 900
more in interest over the entire repay
ment period if they had to prolong the
refunding of the public works money
by paying larger installments on the
Cramton refund.
The Districts total potential in
debtedneSs under both measures, he
explained. would be $4,000, 900. OF
this, S14,000,0O0 would be owing to
public works, representing 10 per cent
of the s20,OO0,000 program contem-
plated by the pending bill. The re-
manning 100000 900 would represent
further advances Congress could make
under the Capper- -Cramton law.
Prettyman said the method the
Commissioners want to follow in re-
funding both obligations would call
for interest amounting to s2.280. 900.
whereas if $500,000 of the annual re-
payment must be credited to nom
interest-bearing park advances the
Districts interest obligation over the
whole period would be S6000,000.
A number of civic leaders took part
in the discussion, including Evan H.
Tucker. Or. George C. Havenner. A. J..
Driscoll and committee from the
Chopoher Of Commerce