Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-31
House De|eteS
C|ose-0ut' Of
Cramton Act
'Finol Appropriation
Term Taken Out
On Smiths Motion

Cramton Act for park develop
ment in this area was knocked
out OF a big supply bill in the
House yesterday.
The restrictive language, sub
ject to another vote in the House
today, was stricken on a motion
by Representative Smith, Dem
ocrat, OF Virginia, a member of
the House District Committee.
He charged the five eliminated
words constituted legislation in
an appropriation bill. Chairman
Phillips of the House Appropria-
ton Subcommittee in charge of
the Independent Offices supply
measure conceded the point. Mr..
Smiths point of order was sus-
tanned by the chairman Of the
House acting as committee of
the whole, and the language
went out of the bill.
Was Final Appropriation"
The stricken words labeled
an approved item of $545,00O to
be used for purchase of land
for parkway and playground
property in this area "as a final
appropriation" under the Cap
per-Cramton Act of 1880. Fur
thermore. the bill had said the
property would be purchased for
completing acquisition of land.
Funds would be handled by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission.
Mr.. Smith said the bill, as
written, was an attempt to kill
the effect Of the Capper-Cram-
ton Act. The House action, he
said, leaves US right where We
were before"
The Appropriations Commit
tee report on the bill explaining
the intent to stop further funds
for parkway improvement in the
area will be of no effect, Mr..
Smith said. when the House
finally approves its tentative &C
ton yesterday.
The committee report had de-
clared the new language in the
bill would make it clear that
this is a final appropriation I'M
der the authority of the act of
May %, 1880, and if additional
expansion of the system is de-
sired, additional legislative au-
thority will be required.
Backed Present Item.
ut is with this thought in
mind" concluded the report.
that the committee recommends
the full amount of the budget
request for this year so that the
present program may be termi-
mated in an orderly fashion and
the missing links may join to-
gether isolated units already in
public ownership"
The $545,000 approved tenta-
lively yesterday by the House
without the final appropriation"
words, would be used for land
purchases in Virginia, the Dis
trict and Maryland. 1t would be
allocated to include $135. 900 for
extending the George Washing
ton Memorial Parkway in nearby
Virginia. $284.000 for a South
west Washington playground and
$126,000 to connect Maryland
stream valley parks.
In another local development
on the House floor during debate
on the appropriation bill. it was
indicated funds could be used
for slum clearance anywhere, in
Guiding the District, despite Ian
guage in the committee report
restricting money to residential
projects. The Federal money
must be matched by local dollars.
Question on Southwest.
Representative Howell, Demo-
crat. Of New Jersey, asked if the
amendment inserted in the bill
on motion of Mr.. Phillips would
be likely to interfere with TIE
proposed big Zeckendorf develop
ment of Southwest Washington.
Mr.. Phillips replied he under
stood that plan would be so per
cent residential. aimed at doing
away with slums. Later he
added in a note to the press: Il
know of nothing which would
prevent slum clearance. The
amendment only seeks to pre-
vent the misuse of the money
appropriated"
John r. SearleS, jr., director
OF the District Redevelopment
Land Agency, listened to the
debate from the House Gallery.
He said later he understood the
pending appropriations could be
allocated to the District for the
Zeckendorf plan and Area B.
New York Case Cited.
The Appropriations Commit
tee, in its report, had charged
abuse Of funds made available
to the Housing and r Home
Finance Agency for capital
grants for stun clearance and
urban redevelopment. One abuse
cited was a New York City
project including coliseum.
During debate on the issue,
one House member suggested
that local communities should
pay for auditoriums and opera
houses included in any slum re-
development projects.
Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican, of Virginia plans to
offer an amendment to the
pending supply bill today for
construction of a new Veterans
Administration Hospital on the
Soldiers Home Grounds. He
contends the site, already under
jurisdiction of the VA, is ideal
for the institution.