Evening star., 1952-09-18
The New PLANNING Commission

The New Planning Commission
Back in 194S the solicitor of the Interior
Department wrote an opinion advancing novel
eheory. The theory was that land purchased in
the District OF Columbia by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, using funds sup
piled by local taxpayers. and assigned to the
District Commissioners for playground and other
purposes really remained under control of the
Interior Department. It was further contended
that the Park and Planning Commission no longer
had authority to transfer any more such land
to the District Commissioners.
The opinion accompanied the Interior De-
partments activities in eliminating segregation
In recreational areas It's own Park Service
clearly controlled the Federal areas acquired by
the Park and Planning Commission and assigned
10 the Interior Department. But local play
grounds, assigned to the Commissioners and the
Board of Recreation, were beyond the Interior
Departments control. The opinion of the de-
partment's solicitor, if it prevailed, would make
Interior Department control almost complete.
Segregation was an issue. But it was not
an issue that concerned the Park ,and Planning
Commission in its Interpretation of the law To
the commission, the law was plain enough and
had been followed without challenge for more
than 20 years. No other Government agency ac-
tation of the law. A recent court opinion threw
additional cold water on its validity. Major Gen.
eral U. S. Grant, Sd, then chairman of the Park
and Planning Commission and one of the men
most actively responsible for its creation, vigor-
ously opposed the Interior Departments inter-
probation. He was not taking part in the debate
over segregation. But he stated that If the In
terror Departments views were upheld, the pur-
pose OF the law creating the commission would
be to some extent nullifled.
When General Grants term expired, the
commission adopted a unanimous resolution pc
titioning the President to reappoint him. But he
was not reappointed His ouster-for that is
what it amounted to-was attributed By some OF
his intimates on the commission TO his opposition
to the Interior Department He was succeeded by
William w. Wurster, dean of architecture of
M. I. T., as commission chairman Mr.. Wurster
served short time, in which he found that his
residence out Of town handicapped him In the
performance of his duties as chairman of the
commission. When he moved to California, he
asked that he not be reappointed
Mr. Wurster was succeeded by John A. Remon,
wen-known Washingtonian. As chairman, he
worked diligently to secure the passage by Con-
gress of a new law, recognizing the commission
and enlarging its powers in city planning At
his solicitation, Interior Secretary Chapman saw
the President and evidently persuaded him to
sign the new legislation. Much to Mr.. Remon's
surprise, and to that of his colleagues on the
commission, he was not continued as chairman.
In his place the President appointed DR..
Joseph Lehman, head of the Illinois Pardon and
Parole Board DR.. Lohman had directed the
staff work of the National Committee on Segrega-
ton in the Nations Capital, in 1948. He had
subsequently been retained by the Interior De-
partment as an adviser on race relations There
Is question, not apt to be resolved by test, as
bo whether his appointment conforms to the re-
quirements of the new law.
As in the case of General Grant, Mr. Remon's
removal as chairman Of the commission followed
his own disagreement with the Interior Depart
ment. In February of this year Secretary Chap
man wrote letter to the commission, requesting
It not to turn over any more land to the District
of Columbia-land bought with District revenues.
This request became an issue last spring. The
commission had to vote on transferring some
parcels of land to the District, and the vote was
a 3-to-3 tie. AS chairman Mr.. Remon broke
the tie by voting to transfer the land-against
the wishes of the Interior Department
All of this is background. The reorganized
National Capital Planning Commission will hold
Its first meeting tomorrow under the chairman
ship of DR.. Lohman. The question now, which
will be answered by subsequent events, is whether
to pack the commission and thus obtain vote
favorable to the Interior Department and its
solicitors opinion.
II the commission has been packed. It's fu-
ture usefulness will be impaired. The real issuei
Is not segregation. The real issue is whether the
commission is to function, under the new law,
as "the central planning agency" for the Federal
and District Governments, or whether 1t is to
become merely another political instrument of
the Interior Department.
The reorganized commission has new, broad
powers in city planning and urban redevelop-
ment. It's jurisdiction has been extended into
Maryland and Virginia. It has fine oppor-
tunity, if supplied with more funds and more
personnel, to furnish constructive leadership in
planning the future development Of the National
Capital and its environs
It will be pity If this new opportunity Is
sacrificed by continued legal finagling which
will surely undermine confidence In the COM
missions good faith in carrying out the tasks
assigned to 1t under the law.
Soft Coal Strike Threot