THE RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL 33 



which we hope to get the approval of the President and submit to 

 Congress soon. This is a topic that deserves very serious considera- 

 tion, not only in this Council, but in Congress and among other 

 groups. 



Mrs. WHITTEMORE. I would like to have discussed the question 

 of a citizens' advisory council. 



Would it not be desirable that a small group of leading citizens 

 be appointed by the President and could not its functions be to 

 bring problems to the attention of the Council, to assist the Council 

 in implementing its recommendations, to prod the Council if neces- 

 sary, and to make the Council a more active and effective instrument 

 reaching out into citizens' groups, keeping them informed and have 

 a two-way line of communication? 



Mr. WAGNER. This is a difficult one for me to comment on be- 

 cause in the first place, I think it is extremely important that our 

 actions do reflect what the citizenry wants. At the same time, I find 

 myself a little troubled with the proposal of an advisory council to 

 an advisory council. 



It is appropriate to get local prodding and local views and if we 

 find we do not have the machinery in our own several organizations 

 to obtain them adequately then perhaps an advisory council charged 

 with one responsibility and function in this one field would be useful. 

 But again, I think this is a question of how many advisories we 

 should have. 



Secretary CONNOR. Mr. Chairman, I would strongly favor a 

 citizens' advisory council. Particularly because of the importance 

 of local and State action in this field, we do need some means of 

 having ready access to the views of citizens who are broadly repre- 

 sentative in various parts of the country and various groups. I 

 think it is a good idea and we should give it consideration.* 



Mr. PAUL. I think the idea of an advisory committee is a very 

 good one, but I think we ought to give some consideration to its 

 context. 



In other words, I don't think it would be useful if it were just 

 advisory to the Recreation Council. But if advisory to the Presi- 

 dent, it would be worthwhile perhaps in a continuing way on the 



* Secretary Connor at this point left the meeting to attend a Congressional 

 hearing. 



