Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-06
The Senators BELONG Here

President Eisenhower voiced the
sentiments OF the whole community when
he expressed strong opposition to any
plan for moving our Senators to the West
Coast or anywhere else 1t would be
unthinkable to permit the American
League franchise to get away from WASH
ington. This is baseball town, as evil
denced by the never-Say-die fans who
have stuck with the local team through
thick and thin-mostly thin And al
though things have been pretty thin for
our team in recent years, there is cause
for hope of better days to come.
Calvin Griffith has evidenced i'm
patience over the long delay in providing
washington with stadium having ade-
quate spectator, parking and tranSporta-
ton facilities. But the fact is that Con-
gresS and Federal and District authori-
ties have been striving earnestly to solve
the stadium problem, with good prospects
OF success. The National Memorial
Stadium Commission has been reacti-
waited and is now making an intensive
study OF proposed sites, methods of
financing and other phases of the plan.
report will be submitted to Congress
early In January, as basis for legisla-
tive action Mr.. Grifith's unhappinesS
over reports that his team would be
charged $250,000 rental for such Stadi-
UNI Is premature, to say the least The
commissions recommendations as to cost
and means of meeting it have not been
prepared as yet.
There is good reason to believe that
the commission will come up with prac-
ticable plan that Congress will approve
and that will be satisfactory to all pros
pective users of the stadium Meanwhile,
there is much that the District Commits
sionerS could do to improve conditions
that have discouraged attendance at the
present inadequate Griffith Stadium. at
7th street and Florida avenue. Mr..
Griffith is justifiably opposed to the citys
special assessment of $4,000 a year for
police protection in and around the park
This charge Is discriminatory since a
number of other places of public assem-
bly,, such as the Armory, Constitution
Hall and Carter Barron Amphitheater,
get ample police protection without extra
cost. The Star long has criticized this
unfair arrangement, pointing out that
Griffith Stadium pays taxes that are sup
posed to provide such public services. The
special assessment ought to be abolished
Moreover, the Commissioners should
take steps to improve the parking Stua-
ton in the Griffith Stadium area with
more protection for cars parked in that
vicinity. Petty parking racketeering,
accompanied by threats of damage or by
actual depreciations, has been all too
frequent, especially at night. For fans
who prefer not to use their own cars,
better public transportation should be
provided. The Public Utilities Commits
sion might work out feasible plan with
the new transit operators.
All of these Improvements undoubt-
eddy would help to bring larger crowds to
the present park, pending the building
Of new stadium. OF course. the biggest
single crowd Stimulator would be a Wash
ington ball team with more winning ways.
That is something that Mr.. Griffith and
his club associates could work TN in the
meantime. understanding club,
or even first-division team, would bring
out the customers pellmell, in spite of
inadequate grandstands, parking diff
cultieS and all the other annoyances now
prevalent.