Evening star., 1945-08-10

BILE units of the District of Columbit
of the white pools are on Federally'
owned land, as well as three wadini
pools for children.
Two Pools Authorized.
In 1926 the director of Publ,
Buildings and Public Parks was au
thorized to locate and construct twt
pools, one for whites and one fol
colored. Three years later, when tn,
act was amended to include tn,
construction of not more than 81,
pools, no mention was made o.
white or colored designation.
Under terms of the act, the pool,
Immediately were operated by tn,
Welfare and Recreational Associa.
ton, the nonproflt organization
managed by Government employees
which recently changed its title tt
Government Services, Inc.
In President Roosevelt's Govern
ment reorganization program ol
1888, the ONCE of Public Buildings
and Public Parks was merged with
the National Capita Parks, thus
causing the Welfare and Recrea-
tional Association to do its con.
tractual business with an Interior
Department Agency.
But swimming pools still are seq
regated. What is the answer under
the liberal Interior Department
policy?
Points to Inconsistency.
The Recreation Board pointed out
the inconsistency in an Interior De-
partment policy which generally
dictates nonsegregation but calls for
separate swimming pools and linn
tied use of golf course facilities.
According to Oscar L. Chapman
Assistant Secretary Of the Interior
the answer to that is that the In
terror Department, as well as "in-
telligent colored leaders," realize
that slow, steady progress is the
sensible approach to eliminating
segregation barriers.
Groups of well-informed colored
persons have called on me and ex-
pressed that conviction" Mr.. Chap
man said. They were in accord
with our approach to the golf and
swimming problems"
However, Mr.. Chapman said, the
Interior Department would be
forced to withdraw Federal lands
from Recreation Board administra-
ton if segregation is continued" and
added that "the Solicitor General
tells us we have the authority to do
that"
Inclined to Leniency.
In cases of confused Jurisdiction
where Federal land has become a
part OF school playground, the In
terror Department would be inclined
Ito be more lenient." Mr.. Chapman
said.
The system Of day camps for chill
dren 8 to II years Is another pug
cling aspect Of the Interior De-
partment VS.. Recreation Board phase
of the issue. Under the Recreation
Departments program six of the
camps are for white children and
four for colored, yet eight Of the
camps are on land controlled by
National Capital Parks.
Never has the question been raised
as to whether segregation would be
practiced in the camps. AS super
intendant of the parks office, Mr.
Root said his function merely ha,
been to ascertain that grou, q
chosen for camps was safe. 'z,
question of segregation has bca
eliminated because camp leaders
both white and colored, largely have
selected their own groups of chill
dren, he added.
Miss Sibyl Baker, assistant SUPER
intendent of the Recreation Depart
ment, said children are registered
for two-week periods and assigned
to camps by the department.
Eight Units May Be Affected.
Should the Interior Department
enforce its nonsegregation edict on
the Recreation Board and find legal
authority for withdrawing from the
recreation system, at least eight
recreation system would be affected
in their entirety.
These are the River Terrace, Gar
field, Virginia avenue, Montrose
Woodley and Fort Bayard Play
grounds in the white division and
the Lincoln and Garfield Park units
in the colored division. The Recrea-
tion Department recognizes these
lands as Federal without dispute
Confusion is added by the fact
that on six other units sponsored
by the Recreation Board part OF
the land is Federal and the rest
either District or school. These are
Hoover and Anacostia units in the
white division and Francis. Lang
ston and Randall Recreation Cen
ters, and Rose Park in the colored
division.
Hodge-Podge Setup.
In most Of these cases, the Recre-
alton Board pointed out, assign
ment of Federal land was made te
the District Commissioners for rec
reation purposes by the old Once
of Public Buildings and Public
Parks. When that agency was alb
sorbed by the Interior Department
these assignments remained un-
affected.
An example of the hodge-podge
complexion of some of these areas
is the Hoover Playground at Sec
ond and N streets S.W., which en-
braces in one inclosure three types
of purchases
The original purchase was made
by the Commissioners in 1928 anC
later the National Park Service, thu
Interior Department agency witt
which National Capital Parks Is af-
filiated, transferred to the play.
grounds a portion Of the old cana
land east Of Hoover. Still later the
Park and Planning Commission
purchased another small addition
5S,627 Attendance.
Last year the Hoover playground
had an attendance Of 58,627 whitt
children. So
Much Of the land making up tha
Fairgrounds system was purchased