Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-06
PREPARE TOBACK
AIRPORT Project
Trade Groups Ready to Give
Support to Permanent
Field in Capital.

Assured that the chief obstacle to
the use CT Boiling Field as an air
mail stop would be removed by the
War Depart I, Washington's trade
representatives today agreed to sup
port any business.like arrangement be-
tween the District and Federal Gov
ernments looking to the establishment
of a permanent commercial airport.
The offer of the War and Navy Air
Secretaries to equip Boiling Field tenn
porarily as a landing place for air
mail planes without expense to the
District. upon condition that the
people Of Washington would get be-
hind a permanent project, is regarded
here as an assurance that the Federal
Government recognizes its part in the
pro. II.
Mai. W. E. r. Covell, senior Assist
ant District Engineer Commissioners,
was buried deep in estimates today,
with the prospect that he would have
his report ready for the District Com
missioners by Friday at the latest. At
that time, it is expected, matters will
be so tnreshed out thlt the War De-
partment will give its definite pledge
for the use Of Boiling Field.
Subcommittee Meets.
Determination to back the project
on such a basis Of mutual co-opera-
ton was expressed today at a meeting
Of the subcommittee representing the
city's three trade orga nizations.
AS a result of this meeting it was
decided to confer with Maj. Covell
l. L.,
to the Commissioners with a view to
working out concrete plan to which
the business interests of the city
could definitely commit themselves.
e. C. Graham, president of the Board
of Trade, presided at the meeting.
1t was pointed out that the subcom-
mittee had not been empowered to
act, but was an agency designated to
sift all the facts necessary to report
10 the full committee.
Mai Gen. Anton Stephan, president
Of the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, emphasized the need of
obtaining an official ruling on the legal
title to the Grayelly Point site, so that
there would be no danger of Virginia,
at some future time, putting in a
claim TO it. This matter will be taken
up with officials qualified to pass upon
the question by the general counsels
of the three trade bodies. These are
Chaplin Brown of the Chamber OF Com
merce, Morris D. Rosenberg Of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation and E. c. Brandenberg of the
Board of Trade.
No Need to Hurry Decision.
While it is definitely understood that
4. Ax,fO hnt1 nd
the airport proposal, Gen. Stephan re-
minded that there was no occasion to
settle the question overnight. in view
of the fact that the temporary Situa-
ton will be taken care of by the Gov
eminent. All facts should be ascer
tanned. he said, from the viewpoint of
Federal participation, as well as future
of an airport site.
1t was the consensus that a bust |
ness-like proposition would be one
under which the Federal Government
should provide the site and pay its
share of the expense of |
establishing a field thereon. Once |
a field is provided the city could main |
tain it as a municipal airport.
The need of keeping hand on |
the throttle to see that the District |
was not overburdened by taxation to !
establish such field was emphasized |
There Is no intention on the part |
Of the Government to force the Dis |
trict to pay all the expense of estab- |
fishing field at Gravelly Point, it |
was reported, and any such previous
view held on that score was said to
be a mistaken one Of the Govern
ment's attitude.
Gen. Stephan declared that the Gov.
eminent would be compelled TO APP
proach a permanent airport from the
of protecting the capital
from some possible air attack in event
Of a national emergency. The Gov
eminent, he explained. would be more
in the military value of an
air field than In its development
That the situation yet has to pass
It's crucial stage was indicated by the
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