Evening star., 1953-09-10
Bartholomew
Seeks Peace in
Planning Fight
Regional Council
To Argue Idea Of
| Own Director
BY George Beveridee

By George Beveridse
Harland Bartholomew, Presi-
dent Eisenhower'S newly named
chairman of the National Capt.
tai Planning Commission. will
arrive here tomorrow to assume
the role Of peacemaker in a fight
between WASHINGTON area plan
ners.
The crux of the dispute is
whether the National Capital Re-
gional Planning Council will get
a planning director who would
be answerable only to the council.
Regional council leaders argue
they should select such a dlrec-
tor, who would not be controlled
by its sister group, the National
Capital Planning Commission.
The national commission feels
the chief regional planner should
be a member of the national
commission staff.
The difficulty arises because Of
the manner in which Congress
created the regional council last
summer. The council member
ship represents each jurisdiction
in Washington and nearby
States. Its main purpose is to
draw up a co-ordinated develop
ment plan for the entire Metro
politan Area, within which each
jurisdiction can carry out its
planning duties.
Money at Root of Issue.
Congress. however. appropri-
ated money to the national COM
mission for both its own activi-
ties and those OF the regional
council. Money was not ear
marked specifically for a council
staff. Rather, Congress said the
national commission should pro-
vide the regional council such
services as 1t needs.
Therefore, the national COM
mission has proposed to hire two
new officials One, designated
as a chief of general planning"
at an $3.50 salary, would de-
vote about half his time to re.
gional area matters. The other.
at a $1,000 salary, would devote
full time to regional matters.
Both. however, would be under
the technical direction of John
Nolen. jr., the national commits
sion director.
Regional council members feel
their director should maintain
offices supplied by the national
commission in the Interior De-
partment Building, and should
draw on the national commission
for services. But they insist
! they select the director, at a
higher salary than $1,000. and
that he be under no direction
from MI. Nolen.
Sees Confidence Withheld.
Council Chairman Robert M.
Watkins. in letter to Mr.. Bar
tholomew. wrote that the public
will never have total confidence
in the council staff as long as
the staff director is subordinate
to any constituent member"
The national commission is one
OF the groups represented on the
council
Mi. Watkins wrote that the
councils position was not out
Of disrespect for either the ma
tional commission or Mr.. Nolen.
But he insisted that "aS fun
damental principle the director
should be free from control by
any one Of its members.
On more than one occasion,
Mr.. Watkins, as chairman Of the
Observation-Disclosures Capital Re-
gional Planning Commission, has
differed with Mr.. Nolen and
views of the national commits
sion. I
National commission officials,
however, insist they have au-'
thorlty only to buy services for
the council-that they can't
simply hand over money. II
they hire personnel, they con-
tend, the personnel must be
members of their staff and
therefore under the technical
direction of Mr.. Nolen.
Argument Set Tomorrow.
The regional council Executive
Committee will present its argu-
ments to Mr.. Bartholomew at
3 pm. tomorrow. Members, be-
sides Robert Watkins. include
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss.
District Engineer Commissioner,
and C. Luckett Watkins of Alex
andria.
Mr.. Bartholomew, in written
reply to Mr.. Watkins, already
has promised to place their case
before the national commission
at its meeting next week.
In addition, Mr.. Watkins will
raise the matter at the next re-
gional council meeting on Sep
tember 81.
Mr.. Bartholomew, on vacation
since his appointment to head
the national commission last
month, is no stranger to Wash
ington area problems. A noted
st. Louis planning consultant.
he has served as the commits
sion's main consultant for more
than two decades. AS such. he
has played a major part in some
of the city's most important
d development programs.