Evening star., 1948-10-18
To the Editor Of The Star:

md 1t hard indeed to maintain their mental
equilibrium and balance, for they will be hedged
in by the abnormal, and their very numbers
will preclude the possibility of escape to q saner
and more wholesome environment But even
all this turmoil and agitation might not be
insupportable were it not for the fact that
our civilization forces us to maintain certain
standards, thus adding to the strain Of living
We must pay high rents, buy good clothes,
have cars like our neighbors own. Economic
pressure is great, and the wage-earner is con-
stantly worrying about his income, its possible
elasticity, his job, his bills the necessaries and
the luxuries of his complicated life. Some
times the anxieties become too great. He
either breaks or seeks temporary escape.
From all indications the speed age" Is driv-,
ing the world crazy K. NUNAN.
The Public Golf Course Contract
To the Editor Of The Star:
Permit me to correct your news report Of
the meeting of the Recreation Board of Oc-
tober II. Your article states: "The board split
to 2, however. in refusing to indorse . charge
made in Mr.. Schwabs statement that the
board has been seeking information from the
Parks Once in the golf course administra-
ton but had been unable to obtain it."
making my statement offered . motion call
Ing upon the Secretary Of Interior to instruct
the Parks Office to furnish the Recreation
Board the information requested January, l,
ls4s, and requesting the Secretary to limit any
extension of the contract with s. g. Leofder
Operating Company for the operation of the
golf courses to one-year period to allow time
for thorough exploration of all phases of the
IN afYo ha hoor ~
portunity to make suggestions as to the terms
of the one-year extension. An amendment to
this motion was made to strike out the request
for the one-year extension, and the request
that the Parks ONCE be instructed to furnish
the board with the desired information, sub
stituting therefor a request that the Secretary
hold up any extension Of the golf course con-
tract and asking for . conference with the
Secretary. This amended motion was adopted
to2.
There Is no possible question as to the fail
ure Of the Parks Office to furnish the infor-
nation. The board did not vote on that ques-
ton. The board was rendered q conference,
but not the information, last May. It was
at that time stated it would be futile to have
conference without first being able to ex-
anime the Leoffler contract and operating
reports and that would not attend q con-
ference without having the information. This
Is public business and the Recreation Board is
charged by Congress with the responsibility to
determine AL questions Of general policy re-
lating to public recreation in and for the Dis
trict Of Columbia"
Board Wants to See Records.
My position is the same today. I see no
point in conference until our board has
had an opportunity to examine the records
and contract. This should not be q guessing
game. Our board is . responsible agency and
is entitled to be treated with dignity, even
though it may differ with the Interior Depart
ment as to just what powers the board was
given by Congress. The Secretary cannot dis
pute what is meant by the unusually clear
language Of the bill as quoted above.
The difference indicated by the 4-to-2 vote
was merely one of procedure. The motion as
adopted may be the more diplomatic, but We
had made the same request for q postpone
ment OF any extension on January %, 1948, and
1t had been refused by Secretary Krug by let
ter of February %. AS the board had re-
peatedly thereafter asked for the information
sought, 1t seems quite futile to me to confer
ut this time, as 1t is more than doubtful that
any agreement could result before the expi-
ration of the contract unless 1t was on the
basis OF continuing operations under Leofler
with the Recreation Board acting between In
terror and Leoffler.
The news story ignored what consider the
most important phase of my statement, and
the part of greatest interest to Washington
golfers. Last winter / was told by Mr.. Root,
Superintendent of National Capital Parks, that
his office hoped to have Mr.. Leo1ler build
golf course at Fort Hunt, Va. (below Alex
andria), with profits derived from the Wash
ington golf courses.
AS long as Washington public golf courses
are badly in need of improvement believe
the golfers of Washington using the public
courses will be strongly opposed to any di-
version of funds outside the District Of CO.
lumbia, and further when there is an excess of
profits, fees and charges should be reduced on
the District courses
Last year the profit was apparently about
$4,000, of which the Leofder Company received
$4,000. (Mr. Leoffler Is also supposed to have
received q salary of 5000 in addition) $4,000
went into one improvement fund and the re-
naming 320, 900 into another improvement fund,
all controlled by the Interior Department This
has been the arrangement since 1914 Under
the arrangements prior to 1914 the District
would have received $3S,000 of this amount in
rental and percentage on gross receipts The
District appropriates about 81 500 900 annually
to the Parks Office for parks within the Dis
trict. No District agency has any voice in
how the $4,000 received last year was spent
or how the profits are being spent this year.
I believe the District has Q right to know
something about this matter and that ia what
my statement was about. believe the gen.
eral public is also interested
JAMES e. SCHWAB.
No Missiles for Mr.. Truman
To the Editor of The Star:
It IL shocking to see the apathy of the law