Evening star., 1939-11-27
Advisory Board Suggested
To Improve DC. Park Situation
Report Lists Red Tape, Jeo|ousies and
Pressure Among Management Hondicops

.
The first of a series OF articles
analyzing details of the report
made by t,Do experts after a
study of the National Capital
Parks. Another ,Dill appear to-
morroD.
Any approach to a clearer con-
ception of the difficulties enmesh-
ing the National Capital Parks ONCE
encounters at the outset the con-
fusing relationship involved in the
dual form of government peculiar
to the District of Columbia and the
ever-present bureaucratic red tape
such system imposes on admins
trative officers.
Divergent views, conflicting au-
thority. official jealousies, pressure
from higher up" the slowing-up
process of endless paper work and
the undue stress given to the main
tenance of grandiose front" in
Washington are only some of the
handicaps operating to minimize
efficiency in the management of the
local parks.
That these attendant Federal
District relations are responsible in
large part for. the failure of park
administration to provide the full
benefits that Washingtonians have
a right to expect from splendid park
areas is conclusion reached in the
report recently submitted to Secre-
tary of the Interior Ickes. The two
collaborators who made a thorough
and constructive study of the Ma
tional Capital Parks at Mr.. Ickes'
request, go fully into many of these
complications with scathing criti-
cism.
Advisory Board Suggested.
The Washington taxpayers who
contribute in excess to their just
share for park maintenance, the
report indicates, have chief con-
cern in the remedying of these con-
ditions. The report, therefore, warns:
"As far as regular appropriations
are concerned, the District furnishes
seven-ninths of the funds used to
operate, protect and maintain the
park areas under the control Of a
Federal agency and in Federal own
ership. The difficult Federal-Dis-
trict relationship will probably con-
tinue to be aggravated if no pro-
vision is made for channeling and
reconciling divergent views"
Why not create an unpaid Ma
tional Capital Parks advisory board
as a means of synthesizing these
interests they ask. Such advisory
boards are not uncommon. In the
case of the National Capital Parks
an advisory board seems "neces-
sity" to the two impartial observers,
since there is no official group here
elected or appointed as a policy
making body to whom a park super
intendent usually looks for guild
| ance
If such a board were created in
Washington, the report suggested a
representative of the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission
might be included to provide a
means of making that body more
'maintenance-consciouS." Another
representative, it was believed
should be a member of the Wash
ington Board of Trade ito convey to
that body the value of the services
rendered by the park system in con-
nection with special events from
which businessmen derive much
revenues.
Mutual Understanding Held Vital.
The report said there is need on
the board, too, of not more than
three additional civic-minded, non
official District representatives, in
recognition of public interest in the
adjustment and shaping of essen
tial Federal-District policies affect
ing the parks. I'm defining the
duties of such a board, adequate
provision should be made to prevent
it's becoming in any way an admin
istrative board" the report warned
Complete and mutual under
standing and respect are essential
it was stressed, between the super
intendent, the National Park Serv-
ice and the Department of the In
terror to which he is responsible
The report adds:
Certainly the interests of the
District of Columbia and Fedora
officials and Congress are identical
to have fine parks as a framework
of the Nations Capital and for the
social needs of citizens of the Dis
trict. Controversy and over-state'
ment result in loss to the citizens
whose welfare is the responsibilit,
of all involved.
"' The conditions under which
the superintendent will attempt tx
bring improved administration Il
the National Capital parks are full>
as important as the quality Of thu
superintendent himself. One mar
cannot expect to solve the problem
unless he is given the requisite au'
thority and received complete con
fidence from above.
There appears to have been 1
| deterioration In, administration q