Evening star., 1948-08-14
land PIanner
Spent War in
Prison Camp
BY Robert J. Lewis

A former District resident is play.
III role in the planning of Quezon
CT, new capital of the Philippines,
described as similar in many ways,
to the part played by the French
engineer, Maj. Pierre Charles Len
fant, in the planning of Washing
tor nearly 160 years ago.
The Philippine Governments step
to replace Manila as the capital
cif is itself reminiscent of the ac-
tlol taken by the government of
TIL newly established United States
t. create an entirely new city to
serve as the seat of government.
The former Washington resident,
who left a post with the National
PAX Service in January. 1910, to
jon the Philippine Government as
a Iand planner, is Louis P. Croft
During the Japanese occupation,
fr. Croft and his wife and daugh-
teT, Claire, were imprisoned in the
Santo Tomas concentration camp.
l Moving Republics Seat.
! Mr. Croft's work was praised this
week by Representative Atilano r.
Cinco Of the Philippine Congress,
now on his first visit to this coun-
try, in an interview with The Star.
The former Washingtonian, said Mr..
Cinco, is chairman of the Urban
Planning Commission of the Philip
pines and is now playing big part
In designing the new city.
Mr.. Cinco explained that Presi-
dent Quirino of the Philippines
signed a bill last month moving the
republics seat 10 miles northeast
Of Manila. Until construction of
the. capitol and government build
ings at Quezon City can be COM
pleted, Manila will remain the
actual capital, Mr.. Cinco said.
The Representative pointed out
that the new capital takes it's name,
as did the city of Washington, from
the surname of the Nations first
President, the late Manuel Quezon,
at whose request Mr.. Croft went
to the Philippines.
He said construction of some of
the Government buildings is ex-
pected to begin soon.
Will Fly to Puerto Rico.
Mr.. Cinco was interviewed in the
Office of Jacob Crane, an assistant to
Raymond M. Foley. Housing and
Home Finance Administrator. To
morrow the Representative will fly
to Puerto Rico, where he plans to
inspect several housing projects de-
signed for climatic conditions SIM
liar to those of the Philippines.
The new seat of government is
needed acutely," Mr.. Cinco said.
Right now the Philippine Senate
is meeting in Manila City Hall, and
the House meets in an old japanese
school building"
The japanese school building be-
came the property of the United
States when captured during the
war but later was turned over to
the Philippine government for 81,
Mr. Cinco said.
Present plans call for construc-
ton of score or more buildings
i'll Quezon City. Among the first
will be the Capitol, Mr.. Cinco said.
When Mr.. Croft was in Washing
ton, he served with the National
Park Services Branch of Lands,
now the Land Planning and Re-
creation Division. His address was
1885 Holly street NV.
Joined Agency in 1888.
Conrad l.. Wirth, chief of the
Park Services Land Planning and
Recreation Division, said Mr.. Croft
Joined the Government agency in
1888 as a landscape architect and
park planner. He is a. native of
Kaysville, Utah, and graduate of
the University of Utah and Harvard
University.
Now AZ years old, Mr.. Croft was
(See LEWIS, Page B-2)