Evening star., 1927-11-20
ARLINGTON PARLEY
IS URGED BY BALL
Senator Suggests All Fac.
tions Meet for Conference
on Plan for City.
Continued from First Page.l


should be adopted as the ultimate
plan to be adhered to by all commune
ties until the time for consolidation
shall arrive. '.
Fourth. The present territorial
limits of the City Of Alexandria and
each of the counties of Arlington and
Fairfax should remain until such a
time as the people Of each by ma
iorlty vote, taken separately in each,
shall agree upon the complete con-
solidation; and in the interim each
should be protected in its right to
determine its own form of local gov
ernment, including the right for the
people of Arlington to incorporate
should they so desire.
Would Create Commission.
'Fifth. 4 cooperative commission
should he set up by the governing
bodies of the respective units to as
Scmble data: act as clearing house
for the prevention of misunderStand-
in.s: promote cooperation and Il more
cordial relationship among the COM
munities involved. and in general to
assist in gradual building up to the
time. probably 10 or maybe 15 years
hence. when the complete cOnsolida-
ton will be acceptable to each unit
Such n city would take all of Alex
andria, all of Arlington County and n
goodly portion of Fairfax; it can never
come about by either trying to take
portion of the other, but only by
agreement of ali concerned after full
and fair discussion and an oppor-
tunity for the electorate of each to
decide for itself the time and terms
upon which it will enter"
l.. c. McNemar of Clarendon, chair
man of the Arlington County Better
Government Commission, is taking
a leading part in the fight to bring
about the early passage of the en-.
abling act by the State Legislature, so
that the people of Arlington may vote
as soon as possible on the question Of
making their county over into city,
alongside that of Alexandria. lie be-
lieves that conditions in Arlington
County present one of the most i'm
portant problems of local government
now crying for relief anywhere in the
country"
Key 10 Transportation.
"An inspection of the map of north
ern Virginia" said Mr.. McNemar to
The Star, ''discloses instantly that
this little county of less than 30
square miles, rich in natural beauty
and resources, but somewhat neglect
ed otherwise, is the northern gateway
of Virginia and other Southern States
east of the Allegheny Mountains to
the National Capital. 1t is also the
southern gateway of the Atlantic sea-
board and New England States. Being
the key to the transportation situation
north and south along the seaboard,
it is obvious that the prosperity of
Arlington County and its future
growth and development are not local
matters.
The fact that both national and in
ternational visitors TO the shrine of
the Father of Our Country. resting at
Mount Vernon. and TO the shrine of
the Unknown Soldier. who sleeps in
Arlington National Cemetery, must
traverse Arlington County gives its
problems a national aspect. The trav-
eler from the Southland gets his first
impressions OF the National Capital
through the cnvirons of Arlington
County. This impression should be
pleasing in every respect. The ma
tional and international visitor to our
national shrines today is pretty apt TO
acquire the idea that everything in
the nature. of trash and debris that the
National Capital desires to dispose OF
is dumped in Arlington County, a
short distance from the south end of
the Highway Bridge.
"The impression created by this sit
uation must be removed, and the only
way TO remove it is to eliminate the
situation. This obnoxious, unsightly,
odoriferous dump in Arlington County
must be era6icated.
Arlington County is destined to be
a very important integral part of the
metropolitan area of Washington, and
as such its future development must
be planned along lines that will not
only insure the proper growth OF this
area south Of the Potomac, but also
guarantee proper development Of
the county as single unit.
Says Factories Are Needed.
'Whilc it is necessary to treat the
entire county as part of the metro
politan area by creating the necessary
roads, streets and parkways, at the
same time it is absolutely essential
tc the prosperity of the home owner
in this area that a reasonable portion
of it be built up in manufacturing
industries. the taxable value OF which
will enable the inhabitants Of this
area to create and maintain the neces-
sary public improvements and support
their public schools.
The community interest between
Arlington County and the District of
Columbia must be recognized. The
mutual problems Of health, sanitation
and sewerage must be solved jointly.
The completion of the new Airing.
ton Memorial Bridge will bind these
interests more closely together. This
gateway to the shrine Of the Nation s
heroic dead. resting in the National
Cemetery on the hills Of Arlington
County, gives this community a ma
tional aspect second only to that OF
the National Capital. While the Dis
trict of Columbia and Arlington
County should undoubtedly remain
separate political units. there should
be no conflict Of civic or economic in
tereStS.
Under the laws of the state of Vir
ginia relating to counties it is i'm
possible for the authorities Of Airing
ton County to meet this situation
For more than seven years the Gen
eraI Assembly of the State of Virginia
has been acting as a common toWf
council for Arlington County. since
the sessions of the General Assembly
are limited and so much of lis time Il
taken up with the affairs Of Arlington
County under its present form of gov
ernment, there cannot De any doup
but that other matters of State-wtd'
importance must be neglected. Fo
example, IL Arlington County had beer
incorporated, it could have installed it
present comprehensive water suppl!
system without bothering the Genera
Assembly. Furthermore, If Arlington
County were incorporated. it could in
stall a sewer system as the needs o
the thickly settled areas demand it
If Arlington County We're lncor
porated,, the question of annexation
by Alexandria. which now annoys 1t
could not arise.
Local Government Issue.
"The question of local governmen
for Arlington County today Is mucl
broader than that of whether or no