Evening star., 1937-07-30
PLANNING GROUP
AGAINST DIVERSION
of FEDERAL LAND
Opposes Policy Looking to
Use for Other Than Pur.
pose Acquired.
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
TANGLE Is WEIGHED
Commission Also Studies Merits
of SO Sites Submitted for
Naval Hospital.

No'ol 4AOop4tdl.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission went on record
today as strongly protesting" any
policy looking to diversion of Govern
ment-owned land in the District to
uses other than those for which ac-
quired.
Thomas Settle, commission secre-
tary, said the matter came up In con-
nection with a bill introduced by
Chairman Palmisano OF the Houss
District Committee, transferring a re.
cently-purchased tract of park land
In Anacostia for use as an automobls
testing ground.
He explained the commission reg.
istered its protest on the ground
diversion of lands to other uses might
interfere seriously with plans for de.
velopment Of parks and Fairgrounds.
Weigh Memorial Tangle.
During lengthy morning confer
ence, the commission considered the
tangled problems connected with the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the
merits of about so sites submitted for
the proposed Naval Hospital. No &C.
ton was taken. The commission also
reiterated its determination to insist
on passage of legislation to protect
the Capital from encroachment Of
so-cailed nuisance" industries.
Settle was chairman of a recent
conference called as a result of the
failure of the King-Norton bills, which
mapped a possible course of action
to block operation of the proposed
Adolf Gobel slaughter house in the
Benning area.
John Russell Pope, architect for the
Jefferson Memorial Commission, sent
communication to the Planning
Commission, stating he was willing to
go along with the commissions
recommendation for modification of
the Jefferson Memorial plans so as
to protect the cherry. trees along the
Tidal Basin. He reported, in fact,
that he was already engaged in a
restudy Of the plans.
Action Is Delayed.
The committee considered all angles
OF the plans for the proposed jefferson
Memorial, but in view Of the fact
President Roosevelt has banned ex-
penditures at this session for further
Federal construction, there was no
need for any action.
The House Library Committee op-
posed use Of the Tidal Basin area
for the Jefferson Memorial, and the
commission appointed by Congress
to arrange for its erection recently
Endorsed the changes proposed by the
Park and Planning Commission. These
changes, briefly, would set back the
memorial so as to retain the existing
contour OF the Tidal Basin and the
cherry trees planted thereon.
A bill appropriating s4.80O.0OO for
new Naval Hospital has passed the
House and is now on the Senate calen-
dar. A sum not to exceed Is per cent
OF the appropriation would be allowed
for purchase of site.
Present Site Not Considered.
Since the bill directs the Navy to
consult with the Park and Planning
Commission, Rear Admiral P. S. Ros-
sitter, surgeon general, has submitted
about so possible sites for considera-
ton. The commission did not di-
vulge any of these.
The present site Of the Naval Hos
pital. at the west end Of Constitution
avenue. 1t was understood, is not being
considered.
Landscaping Up.
Landscape plans for the new Police
Court Building in Judiciary Square
were to be presented to the commits
sion today by Nathan c. Wyeth, WASH
ington architect.
Also on the agenda was a report by
j. A. Ryder of the commission staff on
the status of areas in the District de-
.veloped in the last 10 years and those
likely to be developed in the near fu.
ture with an eye to their effect on the
commissions land purchase program,
Approve Arlington Board.
The commission yesterday registered
definite approval of the recently-con-
stituted Arlington County Planning
Board. Cooperation with the board,
Settle said yesterday, would be in
valuable in carrying out the commits
sion's plans in northern Virginia within
a 25-mile radius of Washington. Mat
ters Of current interest to both the
county board and the commission are
Improvements at Four Mile Run and
Reaches Run, and zoning of land
bordering the new Lee Boulevard ex-
tension from Fort Myer to the Arling-
ton Memorial Bridge.
Most of the land is zoned as resi-
dental B, Settle said yesterday, but
there are three commercial and three
industrial lots included The plan at
present Endorsed by the commission,
he said, Is to raise all the land to resi-
Dental B and then advertise it as
residential A at some future time.
An inspection tour Of the boulevard
extension, which is now being graded,
IL. L.,