Evening star., 1955-02-27
Belt Highway
InquiiryEnds in
Row on Rights
Congress Authority
To Block Maryland
Project Is Issue
By George Beyeridqe

affecting Rock Greek Park ended
yesterday in sharp conflict over
whether Congress has the right
to intervene in construction of
Maryland's intercounty belt
route.
Chairman Murray adjourned
the two-day inquiry after hear
ing about a dozen witnesses at
tack the Maryland project as a
stepping stone to permit an
eventual freeway through the
major part of Rock Creek Park
to downtown Washington.
The Montana Democrat i'm
mediately ordered IAN intensive
staff study" of all the issues
raised.
Committee aides said a month
may be required-because Of
other scheduled business-before
the study can be finished and
the l5-member committee called
together for a vote.
Two Points at Issue.
At issue is whether Congress
should take steps to:
/. Interfere with the pending
construction of the four-lane
belt road through Rock Creek
Park extended between Wiscon-
sin avenue and Forest Glen in
Maryland.
2. Require specific congress
sional sanction for any new road
proposed to be built in the Wash
ington part of Rock Creek.
Both these steps would be
taken through a resolution in
troduced by Senator Murray,
which formed the basis for the
hearings.
However, the predominant is
sue which emerged was whether
Congress can do anything about
the Maryland park-road project
without the States concurrence.
Maryland officials, led by Gov.
McKeldin, contended it can't.
Senator Murray disagreed.
Wants Question Studied.
The Senator told Joseph D.
Buscher, Maryland assistant at
torney general, that if the States
position is correct, II don't think
the resolution will be passed. ;"
But he said he saw mo merit"
to the States contention and
wants the legal question thor
oughly studied by his staff.
Rock Creek Park extended, the
controversial park stretch
through which the road would
pass. was developed as a joint
Federal-State project under the
1881 Capper-Cramton Act and
concurrent ST ate legislation.
Under these statutes, Federal and
State, Maryland was to pay two
thirds of acquisition costs, the
United States one-third. Title
to the lands is vested in Mary
land. The State also is charged
with developing the parks. but
subject to approval of the Ma
tional Capital Planning Commis-
sion-a Federal agency.
Maryland's position is that
these neutrality-suspicious. con-
ditions were met when the Plan
ming Commission last year ap-
proved construction of the belt
road in the park.
Contention of State.
The State contends Congress
cannot modify these ground
rules at this late date without
the agreement of Maryland.
From a legal standpoint,
whether this resolution is passed
or not, I do not believe construc-
ton of the road is going to be
stopped" j. Bond Smith, counsel
of the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
told the committee.
Senator Murray, in state
ment, said the sovereignty Of
Maryland sis in no way in
volved." He said the committee
inquiry arose because Rock Creek
Park both in the District of
Columbia and as extended into
Maryland is a part of our ma
tional park system"
Because of the Federal Plan
ming Commission's approval and
the imminence of construction
on the belt road, committee aides
said, consideration will be given
to the possibility of dropping the
resolution provision dealing with
the Maryland road. This would
leave a requirement that Con-
gress sanction any new road in
the Washington park.
Route Seen Eventual.
Witnesses yesterday, however,
led by former Senator Gerald P.
Nye. contended once the belt
road is constructed there would
be no way to halt an eventual
highway through the Washing
ton park.
The Maryland Roads Commits
sion's long grange plans call for
dropping a road from the belt
route-just south of the Mary
land park-to East-West high
way near Rock Greek Park and
the District line.
Other witnesses urging passage
OF the resolution to block the
road projects - both immediate
and Observation-Disclosures:
Admiral Neill Phillips, UsN
(ret0, District Audubon Society;
DR.. G. F. Gravatt, the Nature
Conservancy Society; Miss Har-
lean James, Committee of 100
for the Federal City; David R.
Brewer, Sierra Club of Califor-
mia; Fred Packard, National
Parks Association; Mrs. Benja-
min A. Powell, National Capital
Garden Club League.