Evening star., 1949-07-01
New Chairman 10 Seek
More Funds 10 Meet
D. {. Planning Needs
By Nelson M. Shepord

The new chairman of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission has set his sights high
to aim at more liberal technical
planning budget for Washington.
A few hours after his election
yesterday, William w. Wurster
told a press conference that this
years Federal planning budget of
only $84, 4,700 for "the Nations most
important city was exceeded by
$129,000 average for 13 other large
cities he had inquired about.
I'VE should be a leaoer instead
of a laggard in planning" he pro-
tested.
Compare the Importance of
technical planning in the Capital
City of Washington with planning
in most other cities" he said.
Milwaukee County. for instance.
is spending $130,OO0 for planning
this year. Or compare our $84, TOO
to San Franclsco's $4,000, Los
Angeles $350,000 and Detroit's
$115,000 to mention a few"
Mr.. Wurster said the Is en-
ployes of NCPPC constitute an
inadequate staff. The average
number of employees per commits
sion in these other cities is 27, he
explained.
The dean of architecture and
planning at Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology. who has sue
ceeded Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III
as chairman of the Federal group
here, promised to work hard in an
effort to get Congress to remedy
this financial handicap to thor
ough planning.
Chairman WurSter declared that,
If planning for a city like Wash
ington is to be effective 1t should
consist Of "preplanning instead of
postplanning" Adequate funds
and an adequate staff are two es-
sential needs for proper planning,
he reminded.
One immediate change in policy
directed by the new chairman will
be three-day meetings instead OF
two-day meetings each month.
The third day should be devoted
to a "get-together" on the part of
the members with respect to va
rious pending problems and trips
about the city to see things at first
hand.
He also indicated that the un-
written law barring the press from
sessions of the planning commits
sion might be changed. He is
taking the question up with the
commission, he said, to see If some
arrangement like that could be
worked out without injury to pub
lie interests.
NCPPC expressed itself in gen
eral accord" with subdivision
plan for the Maryland side of the
District boundary west Of Six
teenth street in the rapidly devel-
oping northern corner" It asked
the Maryland National Capital
HdTk dIlll IldIlllulS SO1llI1AAoo4O41,
however, to submit more detailed
plans.
The chairman served notice
that he is opposed to opening up
the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway to more traffic. danger
threatened by demands for access
roads to the highway from hous-
ing developments above and be-
low Alexandria. The commission
so far has succeeded in blocking
such legislation.
Mr.. Wurster thought one solu-
ton to the problem would be to
build an alternate commercial
highway to take care Of additional
traffic.
A resolution was adopted to
provide for committee to draw
up a suitable tribute to Gen.
Grant, who has been honored for
his past services by being elected
chairman emeritus" an honor
ary title, for he is no longer q
member of the commission. He
was asked, however, to continue
80 a oo~r,1forf