28 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



Questions and Discussion 



Panel chairmen were invited to participate at this point in the 

 meeting. Limitations of time prevented the entertainment of ques- 

 tions from the full conference. 



Mr. GODDARD. You talked very briefly to this point, but to empha- 

 size it I would like to ask this question : 



Should not the functions of the Recreation Advisory Council be 

 broadened to include natural beauty or quality of environment, 

 rather than being confined to outdoor recreation? Would not it be 

 advisable to amend the Executive Order to make this responsibility 

 with respect to natural beauty explicit rather than implicit? 



Secretary FREEMAN. I think that question was directed to me. 



I believe natural beauty is implicitly involved within the missions 

 of the various departments and agencies, and also that it is implicitly 

 encompassed in the Executive Order as it now stands. If there is any 

 question about that, I think the Executive Order ought to be amended 

 to make it very clear. It seems to me outdoor recreation and beauty, 

 although not precisely synonymous, are so interrelated that programs 

 should be planned with both very much in mind. 



Mr. MOTT. The Recreation Advisory Council has no authority as 

 such. It can only promote coordination. Would it not be desirable 

 to amend the Executive Order to give the Council authority to im- 

 pose its conclusions or recommendations on the various agencies of 

 the executive branch? 



Secretary FREEMAN. I think it is extremely doubtful that the 

 Congress would assign to any council and take away from operating 

 departments the kind of authority implicit in your question. Funda- 

 mentally, your question implies the establishment of a new operat- 

 ing department a department of recreation and natural beauty 

 which would take certain functions from the programs of other de- 

 partments and set up a new mechanism to perform these functions. 



The idea might sound good at first blush, but I think it would 

 prove quite unworkable in actual practice. 



Secretary UDALL. I would like to comment on this because I 

 know that is a question on which there is wide interest. 



I think I would agree generally with what Senator Gaylord Nel- 

 son said yesterday. This job of protecting and restoring the quality 



