Evening star., 1946-10-17
PIdnnersFear
Loss Of Control
In Sport tCenter
Discuss Way to Block
National Guard Hold
On Site for Armory
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II


By Rudolph Kaufman II
The National Capital Park an,
Planning Commission fears anothe
attempt by the District Nationa
Guard and the District Commis
sioners to gain control of land need
ed for the proposed national sport
center at the end of East Capito
street.
Such an attempt was made jus
before the adjournment of Congress
in July. 1t was little noticed at tn,
time, but bill introduced by Chair
man Mcmillan of the House Dis
trict Committee, at the behest O.
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox, Nationa
Guard commandant, would hav'
had this effect if passed.
1t would have placed the armory
building plus whatever nearby lane
Gen. Cox felt was needed for park.
ing and drill purposes, under hi.
and the Commissioners exclusive
control.
1t also would place the Nationa
Park Service, which now controls th'
140-acre tract next to the Armor.
where the sports center is to go, il
the position of playing second fiddl'
to the National Guard.
To Plan Course of Action.
The planners, who started theil
two-day October meeting today
were to discuss what course they
would take if this type of Legislation
Is introduced to the new Congress.
Indications were they would make
a strong effort to have it amended
to place prime emphasis on using
the land for the sports center. Guarc
units could then use the sports cen.
ter for drill purposes when desired
The armory building itself, the
commission feels, was designed tt
become a major part of the sports
setup-in other words, to provide a
setting for a wide scope of civic ano
sports events, in addition to being an
armory.
Cox Wants Building on Own Terms
Gen. Cox takes this attitude, but
desires to have the building used on
his own terms, whereas the Planning
Commission feels the National Park
Service, which would be responsible
for the sports center, should be al
lowed to share in planning its use.
The commission also started work
on a huge master plan of Wash
ington-one it hopes will guide all
future growth and rebuilding in the
Capital
The 1o-man group confined it.
self TO talking over what the plan
should cover and assigned its newly
appointed city planner. David
Johnson, to full-time work on the
project.
The plan, as outlined by Thomas
S. Settle, commission secretary, is to
cover the uses to which the plan
ners feel land should be put for
housing, business, industry, recrea-
ton, education, public buildings,
roads and railroads, to mention the
high points.
Master Map Planned.
1t Il to consist of huge master
map-a scale of 1000 feet to the
inch was mentioned as a possible
size. 1t will be accompanied by
charts, tables and descriptive inter-
pretative and analytical matter.
The commission, Mr.. Settle ex-
planned has been searching for years
for way to bring its studies to-
gether in one master formula for
the future.
1t has found an opportunity to
do this, he said, through the Dis
trict's new Slum Clearance and Re-
development Act.
The act, passed in the closing
hours of the last session of Con-
gress, orders the commission to
make a city master plan before it
plans specific slum clearance and
redevelopment projects.
Staff for Program Lacking.
This is because the slurn projects
must be fitted properly into the
city as whole.
The commission lacks the staff
now to go ahead full steam with
the plan, Mr.. Settle said. 1t in
tends, however, he said, to ask the
new Congress for extra money to
do the work.
Previous efforts to obtain money
to finance master plan, have failed
because the District, which controls
the commissions budget, has re-
fused to approve extra funds.
But, during the years since 1928,
when the commission completed a
similar plan, now outmoded, the
commission has managed to make
plans for specific purposes.
Unable to Combine Plans.
It has prepared a park master
plan, a recreation master plan, a
highway master plan and water
front, industrial, railroad and zon-
ing master plan. But never in re-
cent years has it been able to bring
them together into combined plan
Thus, Mr.. Settle explained the
present opportunity to make a mas
ter plan has great significance.
This plan, Mr.. Settle said, would
be advisory. He explained that the
construction and operating agencies
of the District and the Federal Gov
ernment may use it as a guide, but
are not forced in any way to stick
to it.
Other Matters on Agenda.
Four other matters on which the
commission is cooperating closely
with the District government also
were to be considered today:
l. What advice is needed from
the commission on the drafting of
a master transportation plan for the
city. The Commissioners have set
up a special committee to draft a
plan based on subway and high
speed road recommendations made
in the last few years.
2. Progress made by its staff SO
far in analyzing Engineer Com
missioner Gordon R. Youngs $685.
100000, six-year Improvement plan
for The citv. Brig. Gen. Young has