Evening star., 1949-08-04
UnarucefuI Somersaufts

torial confusion Is raised by Mr.. Krug'S
letter, printed elsewhere on this page to-
day. What has happened is that those
speaking and acting for Mr. Krug in the
Interior Department have repudiated the
sense of his agreement reached on July
with the District Commissioners and
Chairman Harry Wender of the Recrea-
ton Board. Mr.. Krug has run out on what
he said he would do.
On July he said the Interior Depart
ment was anxious and willing to turn over
all local recreation facilities under Its
Jurisdiction to the Recreation Board. There
were to be no strings attached to the
policies followed by the Recreation Board
in its operation of these facilities. That
was the understanding of the local officials
who attended the meeting. That was
the understanding officially conveyed to
The Star.
There was one important condition. The
Recreation Board was to amend its by
laws. References to segregation would be
eliminated There would be inserted
policy statement pledging the board TO
"every possible and realistic effort In
removing segregation Gin such sequence
and at such rate of progression as may
be consistent with the public interest
The boards own unanimous approval OF
these changes was subsequently approved
by Mr.. Krug.
In the meantime, in press release from
the Interior Department on July IL re-
produced on this page at Mr.. Krugs
suggestion) new condition was inter-
posed which caught the Recreation Board
by surprise. It was that the Recreation
Boards new statement of policy "will not
permit the imposition of segregation (by
the BoarO on any facilities now operated
on a non-se segregated basis" This would
mean that the Recreation Board could
operate the swimming pools only on
on-segregated basis For while in theory
the Interior Department pools (operated
by the lessee, Government Services, 1nc.)
have been run, under Interior Department
instruction, on non-segregated basis, the
first practical test of this theory closed
the Anacostia pool.
MIR. Krug does not say, in his letter to
The Star, what he proposes to do about
the pools Although it was the pool clos
ing which initiated the present attempted
negotiations between Interior Department
and Recreation Board, the board has been
told that the swimming pool arrangements
are not yet ready for discussion; further
more, it has been told of additional con-
ditions in reference to other recreation
areas which omit all mention of the SWIM
ming pools.
The Star does not believe that the In
terror Department has been wise or even
candid in it's continued recalcitrant deal
ings with the Recreation Board since 1912
It has sought to hold on to everything it
has. 1t has held on to the golf course
contracts, treating them as sacrosanct and
above criticism until a Congressional
Investigation spilled the beans and showed
them up for what they are. 1t has held
on to it's deals with Government Services,
Inc, making no sincere attempt to trans
fer them to the Recreation Board. 1t has
invoked the issue of segregation when the
practice of segregation was not an issue,
and when the board, under its own steam,
was making commendable progress In it's
elimination.
That is one reason why 1t is so disap-
pointing to see another good opportunity
for needed reform in local recreation
botched again, with Mr.. Krug reversing
himself. For great deal can and will be
done when local problems in recreation
are taken out of national politics and good
citizens are given the responsibility OF
working out difficult problems for them
selves, without the constant irritation OF
double talk from the Interior Department.