Evening star., 1936-05-03
FEDERATION RAPS
PROPOSAL TO RENT
SPACE At CURB|NG.
Citizens Order Statement on
Park-0-Meters Sent
to ConfereeS.
SENATE RIDER ADDED
TO 1887 DISTRICT BILL
Congress Also Asked to Reject
Bill to Allow Concession for
Swimming Pools.

Opposition to the legislative pro-
posal to permit the Commissioners to
charge for parking automobiles along
public highways. by use of Park-O-
Meters or other devices, was registered
last night by the Federation Of Cit
liens Associations.
The body ordered statements of its
position sent to all House and Senate
conferees now considering the 1887
District bill to which the Senate has
added a legislative rider" authorizing
the parking devices.
During the last week the District
Commissioners announced they were
not sponsoring the proposal, as had
been first understood.
The federation last night also asked
Congress to reject a bill which would
allow the National Capital Parks office
to award contracts to conceSslonalre
for operation of the swimming pools
to be established in East Potomac
Park and in Second D of AnacoStia
Park with P. W. A. funds.
Several Attack Plan.
Several speakers attacked the plan
as a system under which charges
would be made to children of poor
families for use of public bathing IA
cilities. They charged this to be in
disagreement with previous announce
ments that the pools would be free.
Investigation by a congressional
committee of the District Building
Inspection Division, adequacy of the
present elevator code, the qualifica-
tions and adequacy of the staff of
elevator inspectors and the question of
whether there is improper division of
authority between Building Inspector
John w. Oehmann and Director of
Inspection Hugh P. Dram also was
urged. The federation urged adop-
tion of a bill providing for such
study, now before Congress. The
body also asked study of suggestions
from some sources that building in
spection officials have sought to ''cover
up alleged evidences of deficiencies
in their operations.
The attack on the park-o-meter
proposal was led by Harry S. Wender,
member of the Safety Committee. He
listed as arguments against the plan
declarations that it would place an
additional tax on District residents;
that if the meters were placed in the
downtown area merchants of other
sections would raise the cry for in
stallationS near their stores and there
by increase the District outlay; that
traffic congestion would not be re-
lieved; that much more space would
be allowed per car under the proposed
plan than now is used, thereby reduc-
Ing the number of cars that could be
parked downtown.
Says Poor Would Be Hit.
Wender also insisted the plan would
hit the poor man who could not afford
to pay for parking space and he also
questioned the constitutionality of the
plan to charge for use of public
streets.
Proposal that the new bridge sug-
gested as a replacement for the old
Pennsylvania avenue span be named
the John Philip Sousa Memorial
Bridge in honor of the March King"
was favored on motion by the Colum-
bia Heights Citizens Association and
the Southeast Council.
Vigorous opposition to conversion of
park areas into parking lots or into
any other use than as parks, as has
been suggested, was registered.