Evening star., 1953-03-12
Planners Voice
Opposition 10
DC. Home Rule
Board Also Against
More Commissioners
And Delegate Plan
By George Beveridee
Stor Stoff Correspondent


NEW ORLEANS, Mar. 12.-
Opposition to Capitol Hill pro-
poSals for District home rule, q
non-voting delegate in the House
or any increase in the present
number of District Commission
ers was expressed today by the
American Planning and Civic
Association.
The expression of policy came
at a meeting of the associations
House Unit Gets Senate Bill for D. c.
Delegate. Poee AIS
Board of Directors, opening a
three-day conference which will
stress Metropolitan area and
regional planning problems.
The association, headed by
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, OF
Washington, is made up both Of
citizen and Government leaders
in the planning field. About 200
persons are attending the ses-
SionS.
Opposition to proposals for
drastic shifts in the District
government was coupled with a
vote of confidence in the city
reorganization plan adopted last
year.
FavOrs Vote for District.
In addition, however, the board
asserted in a resolution:
"The board continues to advo-
cate e. a constitutional amend
ment which would enfranchise
all qualified citizens of the Dis
trict . to vote for voting rep
resentation in Congress and for
President and Vice President Of
the United States"
In other actions affecting
Washington the conferences
policy makers:
l. Opposed proposed construc-
ton of a Potomac River Bridge
from E street, which would cross
the Theodore Roosevelt Island.
A requisite of any additional
bridge. the group said, should be
that there are adequate ap-
proach streets to handle the new
traffic on either side of the river.
No site for a central area bridge
has been proposed so far which
would meet this condition COM
pletely.
Wants "Just" Federal Shares.
2. Called on the Federal Gov
eminent to meet its "just share"
Of the cost of operating District
facilities.
3. Supported the proposal for
joint Federal and District financ-
ing of the 1887 million city pub
lie works program, but urged
that specific projects in the pro-
gram be studied individually.
The group opposed certain fea-
lures of the highway improve
ment plan as failing to provide
fundamental long-range solu-
tions to the traffic problem"
4. Opposed the use of Rock
Creek Park or Potomac Park for
major highway purposes. This
was an obvious reference to the
proposed Rock Greek Parkway,
which would furnish a tie-in
with south-bound Maryland
highways. and to the proposed
use of Ohio drive along the
Potomac as part of the city's
inner ring street network.
Opposes Garages Under Parks.
S. Objected to any construc-
tion of garages under Washing
tons downtown parks, as an
"unwarranted misappropriation"
of land bought purely for park
purposes.
The group called for creation
of a Federal Department of
Natural Resources to CONSOLE
date present conservation agen-
cies.
In addition, the resolution OPP
posed turning over to Western
States ANY or all" of the Fed
eral lands preserved as parts Of
the conservation program.
Members of the conference
yesterday studied New Orleans
improvement and expansion pro-
grams, on tour of the city con-
Quoted by Mayor de Lesseps S.
Morrison.