COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WAYNE N. ASPINALL, Colorado, Chairman

LEE MCELVAIN, Consultant on National Parks and Recreation

NOTE. The chairman, Hon. Wayne N. Aspinall, and the ranking minority member, Hon. John P. Saylor, are ex officio members of this subcommittee.

Text of:

H.R. 256.

H.R. 6429.

H.R. 15250.

H.R. 14255.

S. 1973.

CONTENTS

Report of the Department of the Interior..

Supplemental report of the Department of the Interior....

Statements:

Page

2

3

3

Abodaher, David, author.

67

Annunzio, Hon. Frank, a Representative in Congress from the State

of Illinois...

11

Biester, Hon. Edward G., Jr., a Representative in Congress from the

State of Pennsylvania..

19

Byrne, Hon. James A., a Representative in Congress from the State

of Pennsylvania_

13

Cuneo, Ernest L., lawyer, journalist, and author..

Coughlin, Hon. Lawrence, a Representative in Congress from the

State of Pennsylvania...

Dende, Henry.

17

60

90

Derwinski, Hon. Edward J., a Representative in Congress from the

State of Illinois_

17

Dingell, Hon. John D., a Representative in Congress from the State

of Michigan.

10

Dulski, Hon. Thaddeus J., a Representative in Congress from the

State of New York...

14

Edwards, Hon. Don, a Representative in Congress from the State of
California.

26

Eilberg, Hon. Joshua, a Representative in Congress from the State of
Pennsylvania_.

24

Flood, Hon. Daniel J., a Representative in Congress from the State of

Pennsylvania__

15

Gallagher, Hon. Cornelius E., a Representative in Congress from the

State of New Jersey.

18

Garmatz, Hon. Edward A., a Representative in Congress from the
State of Maryland.

9

Hanley, Hon. James M., a Representative in Congress from the State

of New York..

Helstoski, Hon. Henry, a Representative in Congress from the State

of New Jersey.

Excerpts from the "African Repository and Colonial Journal”

volumes 1 and 2, 1825-27, submitted by Hon. Henry Helstoski_

Hicks, Hon. Louise Day, a Representative in Congress from the State

of Massachusetts..

Hunt, Hon. John E., a Representative in Congress from the State of

New Jersey.

Kastenmeier, Hon. Robert W., a Representative in Congress from

the State of Wisconsin

Kusielewicz, Eugene, President, Kosciuszko Foundation and Center
for Polish Culture-

Mathius, Frank, legislative assistant to Representative Eilberg.

Mazewski, Aloysius A., president, Polish National Alliance, and

president, Polish-American Congress.

McCollister, Hon. John Y., a Representative in Congress from the

State of Nebraska..

Minish, Hon. Joseph G., a Representative in Congress from the State

of New Jersey-

Nedzi, Hon. Lucien N., a Representative in Congress from the State of Michigan

O'Hara, Hon. James G., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Michigan

Pinkowski, Edward, commissioner, Philadelphia Historic Commission_
Piszek, E. J., president, Mrs. Paul's Kitchen_..

Rarick, Hon. John R., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Louisiana

Reed, Hon. Nathaniel P., Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Department of the Interior

Rostenkowski, Hon. Dan, a Representative in Congress from the State of Illinois_-_

Stratton, Hon. Samuel S., a Representative in Congress from the State of New York.

Valuchek, Andrew J., special assistant to the chairman of the Demo-
cratic National Committee on Nationality Matters-

Wyszynski, Henry J., president, Southeastern Pennsylvania State
Division, Polish American Congress-

Yatron, Hon. Gus, a Representative in Congress from the State of
Pennsylvania__

Zablocki, Hon. Clement J., a Representative in Congress from the
State of Wisconsin.

Ziemba, Father Walter, president and director, Polish Orchard Lake
Schools in Michigan---

Letters:

Alecks, Joseph, president, Polish American Congress, South Boston,
Mass., to Hon. Roy A. Taylor, dated September 3, 1972___
Hanley, Hon. James M., Member of Congress from the State of New
York, to Hon. Roy A. Taylor, dated September 20, 1972___
Hulett, Hon. Stanley W., Associate Director, National Park Service,
to Hon. Wayne N. Aspinall, dated November 22, 1972.
Larson, Hon. John W., Assistant Secretary of the Interior, to Hon.
Wayne N. Aspinall, dated January 25, 1972 (report) -
Pinkowski, Edward, Commissioner, Philadelphia Historical Commis-
mission, to Hon. Roy A. Taylor, dated February 5, 1972.
Piszek, Edward J., president, Mrs. Paul's Kitchen, Philadelphia,
Pa., to George B. Hartzog, Jr., dated August 30, 1972_.
Polish Falcons of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., to Subcommittee on
National Parks and Recreation, dated August 31, 1972..
Reed, Hon. Nathaniel, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, to Hon.
Wayne N. Aspinall, dated September 6, 1972.

Rommel, Wilfred H., Assistant Director for Legislative Reference,
Office of Management and Budget, to Hon. Frank Annunzio, dated
September 7, 1972.

Wnukowski, Joseph S., president, Polish Heritage Society of Phila-
delphia, to Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated
September 7, 1972...

Yatron, Hon. Gus, a Representative in Congress from the State of
Pennsylvania, to Hon. Wayne N. Aspinall, dated September 8,
1972 (plus resolution) –

Additional information:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Senate resolution adopted Octo-
ber 4, 1971..

Council of the City of Philadelphia, office of the chief clerk, Resolution
No. 402, adopted May 27, 1971.

Estimated man-years of civilian employment and expenditures for the
first 5 years of proposed new or expanded programs (Thaddeus
Kosciuszko National Monument) (table).

Heritage Council of the Philadelphia 1976 Bicentennial Corp.
resolution

House of Representatives, Harrisburg, Pa., resolution, adopted
November 9, 1971_

National Registry of Historic Places, inventory, nomination form..
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, establishing a
new zoning district, Chapter 14-1200, Historic Development
District.

THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC

SITE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1972

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS

AND RECREATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON

INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, the Honorable Roy A. Taylor (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Mr. TAYLOR. The Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation will come to order. We will start while you are being seated. I regret that our room is so small and that we have not enough chairs for

everyone.

The Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation has before it today 40 bills providing for the establishment of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Home National Historic Site in Philadelphia, Pa. These. measures can be divided into four principal groups:

H.R. 256 by Representative Murphy provides for the preservation and interpretation of the Kosciuszko home as a national historic site and authorizes such sums as may be necessary for its acquisition, development, and administration. (H.R. 657. H.R. 766, H.R. 811, H.R. 1169, H.R. 1421, H.R. 6544, H.R. 7528, H.R. 7552, H.R. 11578, H.R. 14307 are identical except for minor typographical differences.) H.R. 6429 by Representative Helstoski recognizes the historic significance of the Kosciuszko home and provides for its administration pending its establishment as a national historic site. It also authorizes an unlimited appropriation. (H.R. 6759, H.R. 6827, H.R. 7513, H.R. 7517, H.R. 7763, H.R. 7813, H.R. 8246, H.R. 8333, H.R. 9394, H.R. 9717, H.R. 9775, H.R. 10566, H.R. 11141, H.R. 11621, H.R. 11837, H.R. 12588, H.R. 13083, H.R. 13358, H.R. 13457, H.R. 13508, H.R. 13612, H.R. 13641, H.R. 13873, H.R. 14008 are all substantially identical, however, some containing minor technical differences.)

H.R. 15250 by Representative Saylor also provides for the recognition of the Kosciuszko Home as a national historic site, but the language of the bill brings it into conformity with the usual language approved by the committee, except that it also includes an unlimited authorization ceiling.

The last group of bills is represented by S. 1973, which is similar to H.R. 14255 except that it limits the amount authorized to be appropriated for development to not more than $592,000. No land acquisition ceiling is included; however, the Senate report language indicates.

that the structure is to be donated to the U.S. (H.R. 14255, and H.R. 14609 are identical bills).

Thaddeus Kosciuszko is recognized as a great military hero of the Revolutionary War. There is no question about the significance of the roll which he played in the battle of Saratoga or about his influence in the military strategy in other engagements. He came to America to help us achieve the freedom we all enjoy and he returned to Poland to assist his countrymen in their struggle for a more democratic system.

Because of his role, he has been memoralized in the Saratoga National Historic Park, at West Point, and at Lafayette Park by monuments and statues. The Congress, itself, recognized his contributions when it decorated him for his excellant service at the end of the Revolutionary War with the brevet of major general. In fact, for many years, a bust of this outstanding man has been on display in the U.S. Capitol.

While there can be no question about the accomplishments of General Kosciuszko in American history, there have been questions about the appropriateness of making the structures involved in these proposals a national historic site. As we take testimony today, our chief concern is not other national historic sites and their roles in the national park system, but what this place could contribute to the overall historic interpretation program of the National Park Service if it were authorized.

I expect we will run short of time and we want to complete this hearing today, so I hope that each witness will state his case as constructively and wisely as possible.

In the absence of objection, a copy of H.R. 256, a copy of H.R. 6429, a copy of H.R. 15250 and H.R. 14255, and a copy of S. 1973 will be made a part of the record at this point.

(The legislation referred to follows:)

[H.R. 256, 92d Cong., first sess.]

A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Home National Historic Site in the State of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in order to preserve and interpret for the benefit of the people the home of Thaddeus Kosciuszko in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania. the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange, the property at the northwest corner of Third and Pine Streets specifically designated as 301 Pine Street and/or 342 South Third Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including improvements thereon, together with such adjacent land and interests therein as the Secretary may deem necessary for the establishment and administration of the property as a national historic site. The Secretary is further authorized to acquire by any of the above means personal property used and to be used in connection with the national historic site.

SEC. 2. The property acquired pursuant to the first section of this Act shall be known as the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Home National Historic Site, and it shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), as amended and supplmented (16 U.S.C. 1, 2—4), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461-467).

SEC. 3. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.