Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-10
Planners Push
New Attack on
f Street Bridge
Oppose Contention
1t Would Relieve
Downtown Traffic
By George Bexeridae

uclaIS prepared today to chal-
lenge District highway experts
contentious that an E street
bridge is the best way to relieve
downtown bridge congestion.
The planners, bitter e street
bridge antagonists for the last
two years, lined up for testimony
before q House District Subcom-
mittee considering bills for new
Potomac crossings at E street
and at Jones Point. Alexandria.
The E street proposal came in
for scathing denunciation yes
terday from Interior Department
officials and prominent citizens
speaking on behalf of the Theo-
dore Roosevelt Association. Their
main protest was against the
proposed bridges crossing of
Roosevelt Memorial Island, lying
near the Virginia shore.
The attack today swung to a
new approach, with the planners
expected to hit directly at Dis
trict Highway Department argu-
ments for relieving traffic snarls.
Scheduled for testimony were
Harland Bartholomew, National
Capital Planning Commission
chairman; John Nolen, jr.. plan
ming commission director: Mai.
Gen. U. S. Grant III, president
of the American Planning and
Civic Association, and C. C. Rob-
inson. director. Northern Vir-
GINA Regional Planning Com
mission.
More Congestion Seen.
The planners are expected to
argue that approaches on both
sides of the river would be in
adequate. and that the E street
span would cause more-not
less-congestion by stimulating
more east-west traffic south of
the White House.
AS an alternative, the PLAN
ners favor a bridge at Reaches
Run. just down river from the
existing Fourteenth street
bridges. Subcommittee Chair
man Kearns has ruled that
later hearing will deal with that
proposal, however. and it was
not expected to be discussed in
detail today.
AS expected, meanwhile, the
Roosevelt Island issue drew
heated charges that Congress
would be guilty of al ''barefaced
breach Of faith" if it-permitted
the E street bridge to be built.
A Veto Over Plans.
The island was decided to the
q. 8. Government in 1882 by the
Roosevelt association to be MAIN
tanned as a natural wilderness
memorial to the late President.
AS a condition Of its deed, the
association withheld the right
to approve a plan Of ultimate
development and to rule on any
development inconsistent" to
the plan.
Association spokesman, headed
by Former Ambassador Joseph
c. Grew. contended yesterday
that the bridge would constitute
just such an inconsistent use.
District officials have argued
that the bridge. dropping three
piers to the island and crossing
40 feet over it. would not inter-
fere with its existence as a
wilderness area. They argue that
Congress alone must decide this
issue and determine whether it
should be permitted to block the
bridge.
Mr.. Grew was joined in opp6si-
ton testimony by Orme Lewis.
Assistant Secretary of the In
terror; Gilmore D. Clarke, for
mer previous chairman of the
Fine Arts Commission, and Her
man Hagedorn, Roosevelt asso-
citation secretary. Messages up
holding their victory also were
sent to the subcommittee from
Federal Judge Learned Hand, a
Roosevelt association trustee, and
Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth,
daughter of the late President.
Sees Threat to Statue.
Arthur B. Hanson, counsel Of
the Marine Corps War Memorial
Foundation, testified also that
the bridge. as it now is planned,
would drop approaches right
alongside" the giant Two lima
Monument to be constructed on
the Nevius tract in Arlington.
Mr.. Hanson stressed that he
was not opposing the bridge. but
urged Congress to make sure
the Marine memorial site Is pro-
tected if the span is authorized.
A strong touch of color was
added to the hearings as two
Marine sergeants, in full dress
uniforms, sat thanking each side
of a small-Scale model of the
Two lima monument.
Mr.. Grew, meanwhile, con-
tended that q bridge authorize
ton would be direct violation
of the agreement under which
Congress accepted the island.
Asked how the bridge would
harm it, he said the entire con-
cept of the island was that it
retain q state of wilderness. He
said a terrace and balustrade
would constitute its only artifi-
cial construction and added,
ut is essentially q place Of soli-
tude and peace"
Unique az . Memorial.
Mr.. Hagedorn stressed also
that the island was conceived
unlike any other public park
as IAN area Of primeval wilder
ness in the heart Of the Nations
Capital, with all the grandeur
implied by great tree trunks ris-
ing so, 80, 100 feet into the air
and no roads, no motor cars, no
bridges even"
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