Evening star., 1949-05-18
Fight Renewed
On Segregation
AtP|aygrounds
Root to Seek Vote
At June 7 Meeting
Of Recreation Bourd

OF National Capital Parks and
Interior Department representa-
tive on the District Recreation
Board. will call for a vote on
whether segregation is to be abol-
ished on Fairgrounds here when
the board meets next month.
Mr.. Root said that he will move
at the June 7 meeting of the
Recreation Board that all forms
Of discrimination be removed from
the public recreational facilities
operated by the board.
Mr.. Roots action will have the
backing of the Interior Depart
ment which has called on the
Recreation Board on numerous
occasions to abolish racial dis
elimination.
May Take Back 8 Areas.
Unless segregation ends, 1t is
likely the Interior Department will
take back from the Recreation
Board three play areas. These
are Fairgrounds in Anacostia,
Montrose Park in Georgetown and
two-day camps in Rock Creek
Park. The Friends (Quakers)
Meeting of Washington is con-
sidering taking over and operating
the Rose Playground near K street
and Rock Creek-Potomac Park
way and the Garfield Playground.
Mr.. Root estimated it would
cost about $4,000 yearly to op-
crate the first three mentioned.
Under present policy the National
Capital Parks Office maintains the
areas with funds allotted to the
Recreation Board by the District
Budget Office. Should the In
terror Department take over the
areas, one alternative suggested
has been that the Commissioners
could pay the money direct to
the Interior Department.
Mr.. Root made known his in
tentions to move to amend the
bylaws in a letter to Harry S.
Wender. board president. Under
the bylaws. notice of proposed
amendments must be submitted in
writing at least one week In ad-
vance.
Barred at Last Meeting.
At the last meeting of the Rec
reation Board, Mr.. Wender ruled
out Of order any move to amend
the bylaws and eliminate segre-
cation because prior notice had
not been given.
Mr.. Wender' at that meeting
also ruled that Milo Christensen,
Superintendent of recreation, had
the power to issue permits for the
use of school buildings used by
the Recreation Department on a
on-segretated basis but was over
ruled by other board members.
This matter also will be settled
at the next meeting.
The board already has agreed
to operate two city Fairgrounds
on a non-segregated basis this
summer as an experiment.
Bylaws Committee to Meet.
A meeting of the Recreation
Boards Bylaw Committee has
been called for tomorrow. Mr..
Root had forwarded a copy of
the proposed amendment in order,
he said, that the board come to
grips with this matter" The park
superintendent and Walter Fowler,
District Budget Director, are the
only two on the seven-man board
who are not members of the
committee which will give advance
study to the proposed change In
the bylaws.
!. Chairman Vendors recent rul-
ing throwing out the previous
motion. Mr.. Root contended today.
was mot in accord with the spirit
OF the regulation"
y "As every member of the board
known" Mr.. Root wrote, one of
the matters Of the boards agenda
of the April IL meeting was a
letter from Secretary of the In
terror Krug dated March %. Mr..
Krug stated then the Interior De-
partment was entirely willing and
desired to enter into agreements
with the Recreation Board as re-
uuired in the Act of April %, 1912.
Mr.. Root pointed out. provided
that the Recreation Board abol-
ished all racial segregation and
discrimination in all of its recrea-
tional activities" \
Letter Referred to Committee.
81 Mr.. Root added that since aboli-
tion of segregation would require
an amendment Of the bylaws the
Recreation Board after consider
Ing Mr.. Krug's letter referred 1t to
the Bylaws COMMITTEE which is
studying the segregation problem.
H Whether the abolition OF segre-
cation is to become the fixed policy
OF the board is moot question.
The only two members OF the
board on record for repeal are
Mr.. Root and Mrs. Alice E. Hunter.