Evening star., 1934-04-04
BOTANIC GARDENS
BILL GAINS FAVOR
Senators Voice Support for
Transfer to Agriculture
Department.

Proposed transfer OF the United
States Botanic Garden to the Depart
ment of Agriculture, provided in the
Robinson bill now before the Senate
Library Committee, is gaining adher-
ents among the members of that COM
mittee.
-Four members have indicated they
are favorable to the legislation, or look
with favor on some similar proposal.
They are Senator Mcclellan, Democrat
of Tennessee; Senator Caraway, Demo-
crat of Arkansas; Senator Barbour,
Republican of New Jersey, and SEN
ator Gibson, Republican Of Vermont.
Other Senators and members OF the
House, as we'll as heads OF divisions
in the Department of Agriculture.
have made public statements to the
effect that on the grounds Of economy
as we'll In the public interest, a change
of administration in the Botanic
Garden IS an intelligent move. In the
hearings, held before the committee
last February, Frederic A. Delano.
chairman of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, urged
the transfer, saying that to call the
present greenhouse Botanic GARDEN
was a misnomer.
Clubs Back Proposal.
The garden clubs in many of the
States, associations of nurserymen and
horticulturists have urged members OF
the Senate and House to support the
Robinson bill. Many Senators, realiZ-
ing how well equipped the Department
of Agriculture is to run the National
Botanic Garden, have gone on record
saying that they will support this bill.
Senator Barbour said:
Though as a member of the Joint
Library Committee 1 cannot express
myself fully until all the facts are
made public, I can say that l nave
always strongly favored the transfer
of the Botanic Garden from this COM
mlttee to the Department of Agrlcul-
ture
so far nothing in the hearings
has been brought forward that has
changed my mind. Furthermore, my
opinion is not based solely on what
transpired in committee hearings. For
many years horticulturistS and garden
clubs and associations have talked to
me and convinced me that the only
way to have a really fine national
botanic garden is to shift the control
from Congress either to the Depart
ment of Agriculture or to some division
of that department.
Greater Gardens Is Aim.
I'm the final analysis, what we are
all aiming for is the creation Of the
best botanical garden in the world.
Since the present garden has been
in existence, under the direction Of
Congress, it has been nothing but an
exhibition greenhouse. The Depart
ment of Agriculture has facilities in
the way Of experts and experience.
1t is eminently fitted to manage such
an undertaking"
Senator Wagner, Democrat Of New
York, is enthusiastic about the pro-
posed transfer.
II am absolutely in sympathy with
the transferring Of the Bofanic Gar
dens to the Department Of Agriculture,
which is the purpose of the Wagner
bill, and will do everything in my
power to accelerate it," was his COM
menU.
Senator Lewis, Democrat, Of Illinois,
believes that by changing the control
of the Botanic Gardens horticultural
minded Americans will be benefited.
THE shifting of the Botanic Gar
dens from the Joint Senate and Lii
brary Committee to the Department
of Agriculture is very excellent dis
position of this problem. 1t shows
that we are taking an intelligent in
terest in developing floral art. Ger
tainly we should have the finest Bo-
tanic Garden in the country, if not
in the world. We should improve the
prospects of tropical gardens and be
able to recreate the exquisite creations
imported from foreign lands"
Senator Caraway, another member
of the Library Committee, indicated
she would favor the transfer.
by giving the control to the De-
partment of Agriculture it seems as
though there would be less lost mo-
ton. I should think it could be
worked out" she said.
Favors Department Control
Senator McKellar said he was IA
vorable to the Robinson bill for trans
fer of the Botanic Garden, and added:
Il believe that the Botanic Garden
should be placed in the hands OF the
men best qualified to run it. They
have such men in the Department OF
Agriculture"
Senator McKellar said he had no
feeling at all that the control OF the
Botanic Garden should be retained by
the Congress and its Library Com
mittees, or that it should continue in
their control merely because the gar
den had been in charge OF Congress
for so many years.
Senator Austin (Republican) of Ver-
mont said that he would vote for the
Robinson bill if given an opportunity.
Senator Barkley, chairman Of the
committee, has promised another
hearing on the measure, when oppo-
nents of the proposed transfer would
be heard He has indicated the hear
ing would be held this month.