Evening star., 1935-06-20
POLITICIANS CITED
|. WITH ARCHITECTS
ASPER|[ TO PARKS
Editor Tells Conference
Local Historians Are
Also Obstacle. .
DELEGATES DIVIDED
ON SKYLINE DRIVE
Scenic Route Criticized by Some.
Care in Selection of Sites
Urged.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SKYLAND, Va, June 20.-Tom
Wallace, editor of the Louisville, KY,
Times and national director of the
Izaak Walton League, warned against
politicians, landscape architects and
local historians in an address before
the fifteenth annual National Con-
ference on State Parks here today.
The unrestricted landscape archi-
tect, devotees of local history Of minor
importance and politicians, he said,
should be kept out of park systems.
THE politician, seeking to serve
political ends, and landscape archi-
tects seeking a job, are about on a
par morally" he said. THE local
history fanatic may be sincere and
well meaning, but each is an obstacle
to the creation of a practical park
system" he said.
Wallace addressed delegates during
the morning business session of the
meeting here.
Care in Park Sites Stressed.
II. S. Wagner, general manager Of
the Akron, Ohio, metropolitan park
system, presided over the meeting, the
general theme Of which was what
constitutes park system"
Park areas" Wallace said, should
be, more largely than some of them
are, made up of wilderness areas of
not less than 1000 acres, possessing
in each case some outstanding at
traction of recreation and publicity
value"
He asserted that an "ill chosen"
park site may become a drain upon
the State treasury and therefore an
impediment to the movement to create
Nationwide system Of State parks"
Clash Over Drive.
An unexpected clash of opinion as
to the value of scenic highways
through mountain parks developed at
the conference yesterday.
The debate came after a statement
by Horace M. Albright, former di-
rector of the National Park Service,
that he did not believe the Skyline
Drive should have ever been built.
Il have never favored motor road
along the tops of mountains" de-
clared William A. Welch, general
manager of the Palisades Interstate
Park of New York. There should be
crossroads to afford access to trails.
but the mountains should be preserved
as wilderness"
Opposition to these opinions was
voiced by Howard B. Bloomer Of
Michigan and Wilbur Hall, chairman
Of the Virginia Conservation and De-
velopment Commission.
"Not to have made the drive would
have excluded too many from this
view," said Mr. Bloomer.
Mr.. Hall maintained that america
travels on wheels, and only in this
way can scenic beauty be made avail
able to the people of America"
william E. Carson Of Riverton,
chairman of the Conservation Com
mission, gave credit for the Skyline
Drive to former President Hoover, say
ing the latter "closed his eyes to tech
nicalities standing in the way. We
had to show people this park and that
is the reason for the drive" he added.
Delegates to the conference this
morning reelected officers, including
Richard Lieber of Indiana, president;
WEIGH of New York State, vice presi-
dent; Carson, former chairman of the
Virginia Conservation and Develop
ment Commission. vice president, and
Ernest w. Smith of Washington,
treasurer.
Mrs. Beatrice Ward Nelson of
Charlottesville, Va, resigned as secre-
tary, and Col. Lieber said her place
will be filled by Miss Harlean James
of Washington, secretary Of the Amer
lean Civic Association.