Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-26
Needed Park Development.

Needed Park Development.
When the National Park Service of
the Department OF Interior was given
jurisdiction and direct control over the
Federal park system Of the National
Capital the question arose whether It
would be able TO duplicate, in this new
assignment, the splendid record Of
achievement already won in the Gre
alton and preservation Of the national
park areas Of the country.
Secretary Ickes has supplied The
answer in the affirmative. With char
acteristic direCtness, he has made
available the funds necessary not only
to make up b many ways for the long
years OF continued neglect Of Federal
park property in the Capital. but 10
facilitate the immediate improvement
of other areas which, under a con-
tinuation of unfortunate conditions
Of the past, might have been expected
to remain uncompleted for many years
TO come. The nature and the scope
of the program now Immediately to
be undertaken are described in detail
elsewhere in today's Star. Every item
on that program is worthy Of close
study and comment that cannot be
undertaken here. Suffice it to say of
the program as a whole that it repre-
sents the greatest single step taken in
National Capital park system improve
nect in many years. and one of the
most beneficial steps ever taken
The high aims of the Capper- Cram
ton park legislation were never fully
realized. The funds anticipated under
that legislation were not forthcoming
and the inroadS of the depression
years added to other handicaps faced
by those charged with carrying out
the National Capital Park development
plan. But the funds that were ap-
propriated under the Capper- Cramton
legislation were available only for land
purchase. Land development, equally
important, was precluded. So, while
the Capper-Cramton legislation gave a
short lived though helpful squirt to
the program of land purchase, park
improvement, park maintenance and
park development have gone pretty
much by the board. AS The Star
article today points out, some of
the Capitals small parks have been
practically neglected for half GEN.
tury. Improvements which should
have been made long ago have been
deferred indefinitely. Undertakings
which have been on the charts of the
city planners for many years have re-
manned on paper, while the growth
and development of the city in other
respects has made them more than
ever desirable. And there is a lengthy
list of projects which have been start
ed but never finished.
The money now granted by Secre-
tary Ickes from Public Works Ad-
ministration funds would go far under
any conditions, but under the method
of allotment in lump sum it will go
even further and result in a maximum
of economical expenditure. The pro-
gram of work Is already complete.
The plans have been drawn. The land
is available-for projects which re-
uuire land-and none of the long de-
lays between land acquisition and land
development, between preparation and
approval Of plans and authorization
to carry out the plans is anticipated.
AS result of this universally graft
fying action by Secretary Ickes the
National Park Service will be able to
live up to its traditions of efficient &C
complishment.