Evening star., 1953-10-28
Too Many Experts
In Planning Group,
Members Assert

The National Capital Planning
Commission yesterday was crit
icized by two of its members for
being overloaded with expert
planners" who give too many
negative decisions"
The critics were Commission
Vice Chairman John A. Remon,
citizen member from Washing
ton, and Brig. Gen. Louis w.
Prentiss. District Engineer Com
missioner. serving on the plan
ming group in an ex officio capac-
ity.
Gen. Prentiss and Mr.. Remon
were in the District Building for
the swearing in of the generals
new Planning Advisory Council.
After supervising this cere-
mony and briefing the council
on its function, Gen. Prentiss
asked Mr.. Remon if he cared to
make a few remarks. Mr.. Remon
did.
II think" he began, "that this
council can be very helpful in
balancing the theoretical with
the practical" Then, he con-
tinued:
Sometimes I have a feeling
that the technicians everyday
their hands, that nothing can
make them get their feet out
of the carpet.
OverSupply of Experts.
"The National Capital Plan
ming Commission is overloaded
with technicians and expert
planners. So often I have a
feeling Of Illustration over the
arguing, meeting after meeting,
without any of it coming to any
conclusions. Some of those
arguers are pretty clever. You
will make a point in the argu-
ment and then they ask you
20 questions.
This council could be helpful
in studying the pros and cons
and getting something done"
Gen. Prentiss chided the plan
ming commission for making
too many negative decisions
instead of positive decisions"
For example, he said, they
say you shouldn't build a bridge
here; yet they don't say where
the bridge should be built"
The general further declared
his belief that the commission,
as a long-range planning group,
should never delay any construc-
tion projects by it's delibera-
tions.
I'm sorry to say that that is
not the case today" he added.
Cites Points of Difference.
Some of the particular sore
points between the Engineer
Commissioner and the planning
commission he enumerated for
the benefit of his new advisory
council. lie favors construction
of freeway through Rock
Creek Park to the District Line,
his Highway Departments plan
for an economical "inner-belt"
route to skirt downtown Wash
ington and a Potomac River
bridge in a line with E street
across Theodore Roosevelt Is
land. The planning commission
objects to all of these.
Gen. Prentiss stated the city'S
big problem: 1--WE don't have the
money to meet some of the most
urgent demands. Therefore, we
sometimes look with jaundiced
eye on theoretical, ideal i'm
provements."
He pointed out the commits
Sion's idea of an inner-belt that
calls for a tunnel under Rock
Greek Park.
This would be expensive" he
said. Viewed by the pure plan
ner, it is an ideal solution, but
I must think twice because there
are other needs that must be
weighed"
To Get Both Sides.
Lewis T. Breuninger. local
real estate man and member of
the council, wanted to know how
the council was to get views
other than those of Gen. Prem
tiss to consider. The general as
Sured him that he proposes to
state both sides of each planning
issue to the group. Moreover, he
said, he would be glad to invite
planning commission staff mem
berS to the council meetings to
state the commission position.
Il am not trying to sell my
views to you gentlemen as a
group of rubber-stampers," Gen.
PrentisS asserted.
Another member, Hugh K.
Dufleld, general manager Of the
Washington area Sears, Roe
buck chain, wondered what the
procedure would be if the coun-
Gil developed a dissenting report
on some issue.
THE members of this group" ="
the general assured him. should
feel free to speak out just what
they feel. Otherwise, the whole
purpose would be defeated
This purpose, he elaborated, is
to get the councils thinking on
issues where I find myself out
Of step with the commission"
II have got to make some very
practical decisions, as well as
pure planning decisions" Gen.
Prentiss said. "I want your help
as representatives of the leader
ship Of this community"
]