Evening star., 1946-05-07
East Potomac Park
Tourist Camp Fund
Killed by Committee
$500, 900 Item Out;
Concessions Monopoly
In National Parks Hit
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II

The House Appropriations
Committee. in reporting the In
terror De partment supply bill for
1947 to the House today left out
a 100000 item to start con-
struction of a new tourist camp
in East Potomac Park.
The committee. at the same time
recommended the granting of con-
cessions in national parks on a
competitive basis rather than al
lowing "monopolies' to conces-
sionaries. Members reported they
were "astounded" to learn that con-
cession contracts at Yosemite Ma
tional Park In California run fol
20 years.
The committee has made addi-
tional investigation into this and
other concessions during hearings
on the bill and is of the opinion that
a virtual monopoly exists in many
parks" the report stated.
The omission of the 100000 tour
ist camp item represented a VIC
tory for the District Recreation
Board and District Commissioners
who had protested building a new
and larger camp in the park at the
expense of proposed Iecreational IA
cilities.
Opposes Site.
In eliminating the item, a sub.
committee headed by Representa-.
tive Johnson, Democrat, of Okla
homa, said:
LAS heretofore stated (durine
hearings) the committee is opposed
to the site suggested, although il
believes that additional facilitie.
should be provided when a sltt
which is not Objectionable to the
residents of the District is located.
The cut wa part of a s375 ,O0t
reduction in proposed improvement
funds for the National Capita,
Parks, which are administered BY
the National Park Service of thu
Interior Department.
Also cut were items of $3.50 900 t.
build a new barge for concerts a
the Lincoln Memorial Watergat.
and s25,000 to rehabilitate memo
rails in Washington which hav,
suffered from vandalism during tn,
war.
The committee also sliced anothe
$90.033 from the bill, including ;
cut OF $56,9O3 for advance plannin.
funds, thereby leaving the local parl
office only $4,000 for this purpose
Included Many Projects.
Park officials had asked s66, ,903 t,
prepare advance plans for tn,
tourist camp, the concert barge
six submaintenance stations, re
building of the Great Falls Tavern
construction of a new bridge to tn
island at Great Falls, restoration O
lock houses and recreational facil
tiles along the c. & o. Canal. a ney
clubhouse for the Rock Creek Par
golf course, a ferry terminus o.
Theodore Roosevelt Island genera
development of Fort Washington
improved boating facilities a
Fletcher's Cove above Key Bridge
and new central shop and green
house buildings to replace those ives
OF the Bureau of Engraving an
Printing.
Testimony on the tourist cam,
controversy was made public TODAY
The subcommittee heard both Ma
tional Park Service and Recreation
Board witnesses. After hearin
Harry S. Wender. Recreation Boar,
chairman, and Milo F.. Christianser
recreation superintendent, max
their case against the tourist CANT
Mr.. johnson said:
Il am sure other locations cal
and will be found for tourist park.
Maybe they ought to have three o
four other parks, but the Interio
Department can move out if neces
sary and let the kids play on tina
area"
Arthur E. Demaray, associate di
rector of the National Park Seryic
and a trustee of Government Serv
ices, Inc, which operates the presen
tourist camp under a contract wit
the Interior Department, previousl
had testified it was necessary fo
groups visiting the Capital, espe
(see TOURIST CAMP, Page A-l2.