Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-09
New Planning Chairman

Harland Bartholomew is one of the best
known of the city planners and one of the most
successful practitioners in a profession whose
growth he has encouraged. He has been the
National Capital Planning Commissions chief
consultant throughout the commissions life. He
is thoroughly familiar with Washington. He
helped in the original coming of the city. More
recently he was able to influence, in an unoffi-
cial capacity, basic decisions on the reorganiza-
ton plan for the municipal government In
sense, he is natural choice to be the commits
Sion'S new chairman.
The appointment will be interpreted to
mean continuation of the planning principles
that have guided commission policies. To one
school of city planners, this will be disap-
pointment. In addition to being one of the best
known of the city planners, Mr.. Bartholomew
is one of the controversial figures in his pro-
feSsion. His appointment means at least tacit
recognition by the President of one set of plan
ming principles against another, fact which
may be brought into sharper focus in future
development of Washington.
Differences of opinion between expert plan
nerS are not of great concern to the public, so
long as they are capable of settlement within
a reasonable time without delaying by pro-
longed controversy needed public facilities. In
recent years the National Capital Planning
Commission has been long on plans, but short
on ability to bring about agreements required
for their support. If Mr.. Bartholomew can
bring to the commission qualities of statesman
ship and leadership, in addition to his capa-
bilitieS a technician he will fill a long
standing need.
Mr.. Bartholomew believes and the COM
mission has adopted his views, that the wise
solution of the existing traffic problem in
Washington depends on giving mass transpor-
tation first consideration, as a basic and pre-
dominant means of getting people to and from
their work. The sort of consideration he has
in mind is public subsidies for mass transporta-
ton, and the provision of mass transportation
on an area basis with Government taking an
active part in making mass transportation
generally available-and desirable-to the
general public.
The highway people are not opposed to
this theory. But while the highway people have
no direct responsibility in the matter of pro-
viding mass transportation, they do have
direct responsibility to provide bridges and
highways to meet existing traffic demands.
Until Congress and other political authority
get behind the development of mass tranSpor-
tation with money and legislation, immediate
traffic facilities in the form of bridges and
highways must be provided for the private
automobile, the use of which grows with the
inadequacieS of mass transportation. That is
the nub of the continuing controversy between
the commission and the road builders about
when and where bridges and highways are to
be built.
Mr. Bartholomew and the planning COM
mission may be correct in the order of prece-
dence they have favored But if they are to
prove their point, the commission must be able
to exert stronger influence on Congress than
It has been able to exert up to this time. For
the public cannot be expected to wait indef1-
nitely for needed bridge crossings, while the
commission, under absentee craftsmanship and
infrequent meetings. adopts the role of final
arbiter without the ability to obtain action
putting its decisions into effect
If Mr.. Bartholomew, with his own prestige
and powers of persuasion, can bring them to
bear on the President and Congress in moving
Immediately to meet the traffic needs of this
city-needs which will so strongly influence the
direction of its development-he will have
proved himself to be the man for the job