Evening star., 1954-01-04


AS Choirmon of
Memorial Group
Joseph C. Grew. former AM
oassador to Japan, today criti.
cized Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prem
tiss. the Engineer Commissioner.
for advocating that a new Poto-
mac bridge to Virginia be built
over Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Mr.. Grew made public a letter
ne sent Gen. Prentiss in his ca
pacity as chairman of the Theo-
dore Roosevelt Island Committee
Of the Theodore Roosevelt Asso-
ciation.
He declared Gen. Prentiss' line
of argument for a bridge which
would require supports on the
island, would lead logically to
the desecration of every great
national shrine whenever the
claim is made that this is neces-
sary for any utilitarian purpose"
Bought by Public.
The island, bought in 1881 by
popular subscription as a memo-
rial to Theodore Roosevelt, was
presented to the Nation in 1882.
Mr.. Grew declared that the Gov
has pledged that noth-
ing will be done that is incon-
sistent with the plan approved
by the Theodore Roosevelt Asso-
citation to improve the island.
He took the position that this
is exactly what would happen
If the proposed E street bridge
were constructed. And he said
professional opinion as to the
solution of the traffic problem
is divided, anyway.
He called his statement a re-
buttal to the reasons advanced
by Gen. Prentiss in a letter last
October. for recommending the
E street span. The former Am
bassador wrote Gen. Prentiss, in
part:
"The basic argument in your
letter appears to be that the con-
struction of the bridge which
you propose would not be incon-
Sistent with the plan which has
been formulated for the develop
ment of the island. This is a
position with which I cannot
agree. When Theodore Roosevelt
Island was purchased by the
Theodore Roosevelt Association
and given to the people of the
United States as a memorial to
the late President Theodore
Roosevelt it was intended that it
be maintained as natural park
for the recreation and enjoyment
of the public.
Approval of Plans.
"T'he plan for the development
of the island has been prepared
and approved by the Theodore
Roosevelt Association, and ap-
proved on November l6, 1945, by
the National Park and Planning
Commission. This plan involved
the development of a natural
forest similar in character to q
natural primeval forest as the
dominant feature of the island;
it involved ~the reforestation Of
the island of trees of the type
indigenous to the area.
The plan did not contemplate
the erection of. any particular
structure as a memorial to Pres
ident Theodore Roosevelt, but
rather the development and
preservation of the entire island
as a memorial to him. The only
structural memorial feature
which is contemplated is pro-
posed overlook to be constructed
near the southern end of the
island. Your contention that the
construction of a six-lane high
way bridge forty feet over the
island does not thwart the de-
velopment of an island sanctuary
of this kind seems quite incon-
sistent with these facts.
"The trustees of the Theodore
Roosevelt Association are con-
vinced that your proposal would
totally Illustrate the plan which
has been worked out for the de-
velopment of the island. This
is also the judgment of the Ma
tional Park Service, the organi.
cation which is charged by law
with the responsibility for the
development and care of the
island.
Sees Legal Situation Clear.
Under these circumstances.
the legal situation is clear. The
Theodore Roosevelt Association
purchased the island with money
which it had collected. It gave
the island to the Government
pursuant to a statute which con-
tanned the specific provision
that:
9. no general plan for the
development of the island be
adopted without the approval
of the Roosevelt Memorial AS
sociation: and that, so long as
this association remains in
existence. no development, in
consistent with this plan, be
executed without the associa-
tion's consent
"A plan for the development
of the island was prepared, ap-
proved by the Theodore Roose-
velt Association, and adopted by
the official responsible for the
development of the island, thai
is, the director of the National
Park Service. The Government
of the United States has pledged
its word that nothing will be
done which is inconsistent with