Evening star., 1953-04-24
Bea||, Butler
Drive for
Park Funds
$155,000 Also
Is Sought for
Planning Agency
By George Beveridge

tors Beall and Butler have
spanked a drive to provide funds
next year for a regional planning
attack on Washington problems
and to breathe life back into
the Capper-Cramton Act"
The Senators. along with area
planning officials. urged a Sem
ate Appropriations subcommittee
yesterday to partially restore
House committee cuts in the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission budget. Specifically.
they asked:
/. A total of $155,O00 for OPP
Grating expenses for the year
starting July /. The Budget Bu-
reau came up with this figure
after trimming the Truman bud
get. but the House Appropria-
tions Committee slashed it fur.
ther to $97,915.
2. A token appropriation Of
$685., 900 toward Maryland and
Virginia park expansion under
the Capper- -Cramton Act. The
Budget Bureau denied a request
for such funds totaling ST.
250.00O.
NCPC Chairman Joseph D.
Lohman testified that the $155.-
900 would permit a staff increase
from 16 to % people. This, he
said, is mot really adequate"
But it would permit enough staff
work on projects of the new Ma
tional Capital Regional Planning
Council to at least get the coun-
Gil out of Its amateur status"
Task Assigned.
The council, made up Of area
planners, was charged by Con-
gress last year with meeting
regional problems. 1t was con-
templated that NCPC staff
members would provide tech
nical help. Unless the increased
funds are approved, mot penny
would be provided to get the
council started" DR.. Lohman
said. He added:
THE members Of the council
serve without pay and are busy
men in their own bailiwicks.
doubt very much that they would
consent to sacrificing their time
without reasonable staff assist
ance.
I'm short, this carefully con-
trived system of regional CO.
operation is in danger of falling
apart for want of $57,085."
Senator Butler. in statement,
declared the operating increase
"is trivial in comparison to the
Importance of getting this re-
gional council off to a strong
start"
Senator Beall, meanwhile,
stressed that Budget Bureau
regulations forbid NCPC off,
cials from asking for Capper-
Cramton Act funds denied by
the bureau. The funds, under
the 23-year-old act, are used
as loans and grants to be
matched by State money for
park development.
$365.OOO Token.
The Budget Bureau had re-
fused to ask Congress for a re-
quested $1,250,00O for this pur-
pose next year. Instead, Senator
Beall and r. M. Watkins, chair
man of the Maryland-National
Capitol Park and Planning Com
mission, yesterday asked for the
token $365,0 amount.
The amount would include
$265 900 to extend six park prof.
ects already under way in nearby
Maryland and 100000 to buy
about a mile of land beyond the
Arlington Fairfax line for the
proposed George Washington
Memorial Parkway. The NCPC
already has money to buy land
up to the county lines.
Senator Beall pointed out that
no Capper-Cramton money for
Maryland and Virginia has been
appropriated during the last two
years. He said the Budget
Bureaus denial Of funds again
this year-and concurrence Of
the House Appropriations Com
mittee-has seriously raised the
question of whether the Capper-
Cramton Act should be Ie-
pealed."
"The regional council" he de-
clared. has reached the conclu-
sion that an appropriation Of
$365 900 for emergency projects
would breathe life back into the
Capper-Cramton Act.
"The Capper-Cramton Act has
produced great benefits during
the last % years. We must not
lose it through failure to UNDER
stand the threat to it which now
exists"