Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-18
Progress Delay
Blamed on Too
Many Cooks
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE

Senator Butler. Republican Of
Maryland, charged today that
WaShington's planning and de-
velopment is "hamstrung by too
many cooks" and said he is
drawing a bill to bring some
measure of order out OF the
chaos"
The Marylander singled out
the National Capital Planning
Commission for special attention,
and suggested it might be re-
organized with a membership
composed entirely of Washing
ton area residents.
This proposal is not a new one,
and the Senator is the latest Of
a number of persons who have
sounded of recently about
Capital planning problems.
After a four month investiga-
ton of the problem, the Dist ict
Citizens Advisory Council re-
Gently said it felt the greatest
need was for improved admins
trative procedures within the
existing law designating the
Planning Commission as WASH
ington's central planning body.
1t suggested that the President
appoint more Washington resi-.
dents to the commission. but re-
jected proposal that the Dis
trict Commissioners appoint
Planning Commission members.
Development Seen Delayed
Senator Butler said that for
years, official and advisory PLAN
ming bodies have obstructed
bridges. bridge approaches,
roads. connecting highways and
the dispersal of Federal build
ings." with the effect of delay
ing orderly development of the
Capital.
"One of the chief offenders
in this respect" the Senator
said in a statement released by
his Office. has been the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission.
Although its powers are adj
visory only. it appears to feel
that its decisions carry the
weight of law. Only recently,
am advised, the chairman Of
that commission had the gall
to chastise the Central InteIli-
gence Agency and the Atomic
Energy Commission for selecting
sites in nearby Virginia and
Maryland without getting APP
proval from the commission.
THE law requires that Gov.
eminent agencies planning
new buildings confer with the
Planning Commission. How
ever, approval by the COM
mission is not required by
Law. Actually the commission
approved both the CHA and
the Acc projects.
i However, the commission
officials complained that they
should have been asked to
participate more extensively in
the original search for the
sites of the buildings.
/ The Senator said another de-
fec" stems from 1.-The almost
constant warfare between the
District government and Fed
eral agencies such as the Ma
tional Park Service" which de-
lays various projects.
Bridge VS.. Tunnel Cited
One example. he said, is the
current hassle over whether a
bridge or a tunnel should be built
to carry traffic across the Po-
tomac river near Constitution
avenue.
Personally" the Senator
added. Il feel it should. be a
tunnel"
Time after time" he said,
Congress has had to step in to
break these deadlocks." He said
he felt they could be broken with
"a little give and take" by adj
ministrative agencies without
recourse to Congress and with
out airing differences in the
public press"
Senator Butler did not specify
what precise moves he had in
mind. but added:
u have some ideas which I
hope can bring some measure OF
order out of the chaos generated
by the National Capital Planning
Commission, the Fine Arts Com
mission and the various Federal
and private agencies running in
opposite directions"