Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
DEFINITE AIRPORT
AGREEMENT URGED
BY TRADE GROUPS
Joint Committee Holds Fed
eraI Responsibility Should
Be Studied.
WILLING TO GIVE EVERY
AID, Statement SAYS
Covell to Consult Dawson Here
Tuesday on Compromise for
Use of Boiling Field.

While going on record as being
willing to lend every effort to the
establishment of an aviation Id in
Washington" the joint airport COM
mittcc representing the three local
trade bodies authorized a statement
yesterday afternoon in w, i it was
stressed that the question should be
considered from the viewpoint of the
prime responsibility OF the Federal
Government" in the development of
the National Capital.
The trade bodies feel that any
hasty actin would place the citizens
in the position, as has been often the
case heretofore, of bearing a burden
which might be entirely out of pro-
portion . the peculiar needs Of this
city were it not for the presence here
of the Federal Government" the COM
mittee added.
Washingtons airport controversy,
involving the threatened loss Of prom
ise.. air mail service this Summer, is
expected to come to a head Tuesday
upon the return here of +. Trubee
for Aviation. Mr.. Dawson has re-
served until then his final decision
with regard to the use of Boiling Field
as a temporary landing place for air.
mail planes until adequate provision
is made here for permanent airport.
Covell to Consult Dawson.
Refusal of the three trade bodies
to be stampeded into underwriting
$35, 900 or $4,000 guarantee, de.
manded by the War Department for
the use of the Army air base, brought
about q deadlock in the negotiations.
Maj. w. f. r. Covell, Assistant Dis
trict Engineer Commissioner, in charge
of airport matters, will consult with
Mr.. Dawson Tuesday to see il any
compromise might be agreed upon
which would secure for Washington a
place on the New York-to-Atlanta air
mail route.
The committee appointed Thursday
to investigate all angles Of the local
airport problems met for the first
time yesterday and announced it's in
tention Of holding a second meeting
Wednesday, by which time it is ex-
pected the situation will be clarified
greatly.
IL 10 pOSStUiC diSU tIldL luE airport
question will come up for action at
the monthly meeting of the board of
directors of the Chamber of Com.
merce Tuesday morning.
Want Definite Understanding.
AS a result Of its meeting yester-
day the committee expressed the opin-
ion that the establishment of an air.
port here should be worked out on
q businesslike basis, with definite
understanding of the obligations
which the District taxpayers are ex.
pected to meet. Members of the COM
mittee Furthermore deprecated any
attempt to rush" the business in
terests Of the city into giving q finan.
cial guarantee without taking into
consideration the share of the expense
they feel the Federal Government
should meet.
r. c. Graham. president Of the
Board of Trade, was chosen chairman
of the committee. The formal state
ment of the committee. drafted for
the purpose of clarifying it's aims,
reads as follows:
THE authorization and appointment
of this joint committee is evidence
that the business and professional
Illeu OF the city nave QonnlLely SGttleQ
in their minds the need of an airport
for Washington.
'They are endeavoring to view the
location and financing of such an en-
terprise with a mind, not only on the
present situation, but particularly
with reference to the future.
Willing to Aid Project.
"The three trade organizations are
willing to lend every effort to the
establishment of an aviation field, but,
in the light Of bitter experience, feel
that no precedent should be set that
would serve as an acknowledgment
that the citizens of this community
repudiate their we'll established views
that the prime responsibility for the
development of the National Capital
is Federal problem.
1.-THE trade bodies feel that any
hasty action would only place the cit
liens in the position, as has been often
the case heretofore, Of bearing bur-
den which might be entirely out of
proportion to the peculiar needs of
this city were it not for the presence
here of the Federal Government.
1T is our opinion that we should
all combine to work for an airport,
the establishment of which should be
worked out on businesslike basis
CONTINUED IN Page & Column 81