Evening star., 1942-04-19
RN HARLTAN IAMEs,

Park and Planning Commission.
BY HARLEAN JAMES,
Executive SecretaTy American Planning
and CIVIC Ai6oc,atlon-
The Star is rendering . very use
ful service in opening its columns
TO the discussion Of the principles
which should be followed in re-
organizing the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission A
great deal of accumulated wisdom
has beer presented in the articles
which have thus far appeared
There is also high degree OF agree
ment on planning objectives and
q fair agreement on methods
Apparently we are all agreed that
planning Ia az overall process and
that q planning commission Is in q
position 10 serve both the legislative
and administrative authorities In
manner which would be difficult or
well-nigh impossible If planning
were relegatcd TO n subordinate de-
psrtment Of the executive or to a
committee OF the legislative govern
ment Mr.. Bettman stresses the de-
tachment OF mind and position es-
sential TO adequate planning The
independent commission, unbur-
dened by the daily press Of executive
duties or by the public pressure
turned ON legislative bodies, fosters
this desirable detachment,
There seems TO be general agree
ment, too. that the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
should be in a position to integrate
the various elements in planning
The street and highway system and
the use Of public and private land
are closely related and should not
be devised separately. Zoning Is an
integral part of planning. just as
public highway, public park and
public building systems arc.
Technical STAFF Essential
All are agreed that the importance
OF planning should be recognized by
adequate appropriations for compre-
hensive planning per Sc. This means
that an adequate technical staff is
absolutely essential. If plans are to
be kept up to date and published
for the benefit OF the public. The
staff also should be large enough
to be in a position to study and
report promptly on all proposals
brought to the commission by de-
partmental officials,
These principles would apply to
any city, including Washington. But
Mr. Bettman sees in the Federal city
q three-in-one territory in which we
find Cd a large city similar to many
others. 90 the site of the Federal
Government, 81 and the Capital City
Of the people of the Nation. In the
first we find Washington for Wash
ingtonians. In the second we find
the Federal Government by far the
largest landowner, with a vital in
terest in and responsibility for the
development of its physical plant
and the welfare Of its employees.
We also find that the employees Of
the Federal Government. with their
families. have formed, at different
times, at least one-half of the popu-
lation OF the Federal city.
In the third we find the interest
and responsibility Of the people of
the United States for maintaining a
Federal city worthy of the Nation.
In n way the city of Washington
exists to serve the Federal Govern
ment. II the Government were to
be removed from Washington, its
employees, their families and the
private business enterprises which
serve them would follow the Gov
ernment. Washington would be a
ghost town If It's principal industry
Federal Government-were to
move away
In the Capital of the United
States it seems essential that the
planning commission should be
designated as the agency where all
Federal and District projects meet
in a central clearing house, to make
sure they conform to the compre-
hensive plan and that they are con-
sistent with each other, During the
Is years since the establishment Of
the planning commission much
progress has been made in bringing
plans of the different governmental
agencies before the commission, but
some serious slips have occurred.
Orderly Plan Advocated.
Most students of government be-
lieve that some procedure should be
set up to require that in the early
stages all plans for projects which
would in any way affect the COM
prehensive plan should be submitted
to the Planning Commission and
that the administrative agencies
should be required to abide by the
rulings of the Planning Commission
except when written statements Of
reasons for departure from the plan
have been presented and approved
by the President, as the only admin
iStrative official superior to the Plan
ming Commission appointed by him.
If any department OF the Federal
or District Government is permitted
to act independently in these mat
ters. the entire orderly plan will be
violated and repercuSSionS of these
violations will, directly or indirectly
affect other elements of the plan in
many unforeseen ways.
There are variations of this theme,
1t has been proposed that after the
Committees of Congress on the Dis
trict of Columbia tor Congress it
self haveS approved a Comprehen-
Sive Plan, departures should be
authorized only by action of these
committees of Congress or by Con-
greSSional legislation
It certainly seems that NIr. Del
amos suggestion that Joint Coun-
Gil, appointed by the Senate and
House, sitting as a unl-cameral body
with certain legislative authority
over the District, would be an i'm
provement over the cumbersome
separate Senate and District Com
mittees.
Perhaps some new adjustments
between such a legislative District
Council and the two Houses Of Con-
gress could be found so that public
business in the District might be
expedited and Washington might
have a legislative service more like
that Of the city councils in other