Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-11
HOUSE S|DETRACKS
AIRPORT MEASURE
Move for Unanimous Consent
to Purchase Site Brings
Bitter Wrangle.

Hopes to start work this Summer on
an airport for Washington were dashed
this afternoon when the House definite
ly sidetracked the joint resolution au-
thorizing an expenditure of $500, 900
from Federal funds to start the acquisi-
ton of a thousand acres after a long
and bitter wrangle had brought an OBJ
lection to unanimous consent for con-
sideration of the measure by Represen-
tative Huddleston of Alabama.
The resolution. sponsored by the joint
congressional airport commission, was
called up on unanimous consent by
Chairman Wood of the House appropri-
ations COMMITTEES. Objections were re-
served and later withdrawn, by Repre-
sentatives Schaefer, Republican, Wis
consin, and LaGuardia, New York, Re-
publican.
Minority Leader Garner, by inquiries,
approved as an emergency measure by
the joint congressional airport commits
sion, by the President and Budget Bu-
reau, and by members of the House
appropriations COMMITTEES in a meeting
held this morning.
Assails Spectators.
Representative Schafer bitterly as
sailed real estate spectators who are
trying to raid the Treasury, he said.
and insisted that the Capital Park and
les n Cpnkif10
on the proposed sites, should report to
the District auditors office exhorbitant
prices asked so that their own figures
could be used against them for tax
purposes.
Representative Underhill, a member
of the. Airport Commission. said that
a thousand acres would be required
for the airport Representative La
Guardia protested vehemently against
a refusal to take the members of the
House into confidence on the site to
be acquired. saying. that every real
estate monger In the District knows
what's going on but members of the
House cannot be told"
Representative Underhill cited the
triangle South Of Pennsylvania avenue
to the Mall as an illustration of how
prices had been raised as soon as ii
was found that the Government was
making improvements in that vicinity
and intended eventually to acquire the
property. He said that the triangle
area could have been acquired several
years ago for only fraction of the
price now being paid.
He also told his colleagues that a
thousand-acre piece of property which
the commission had in mind for an air.
port could have been bought for 5000
an acre, but that real estate interests
secured options and are demanding
1000 an acre. He also cited advanced
prices on the land for the new Botanic
Gardens.
Underhill Scores Schafer.
When Representative Schafer an
nounced his objection to passing the
resolution under unanimous consent
Representative Underhill turned toward
the Wisconsin member. saying that he
would appear as the conspirator forcing
the Government to pay several million
dollars extra for the property. Repre-
sentative Byrnes of Tennessee, ranking
minority member Of the appropriations
committee. defended Representative
Schafer, and stated that Mr.. Underhill
had gone beyond his rights, and that his
remarks were uncalled for.
Mr.. Byrnes questioned the procedure
OF the appropriations committee which
has not been officially organized, ques-
toned the emergency for the airport
measure, and said that in his opinion
real estate prices are not advancing
rapidly here or elsewhere.
Representative Dyer, Republican, cf
Missouri, asked how the House could
justify itself in obligating the District
under this legislation to spend millions
of dollars on property outside the Dis
trict for the use of the Federal Govern
ment and the whole country. He en-
phasized that Washington is not a COM
mercial city, which makes the airport
proposal here different from airports
established by other municipalities.
Representative Huddleston insisted
that there was no need for rush action
on this matter and recorded the objec-
ton which put an end to the hopes Of
starting work on the National Capital
a airfa0rk this Citr,n,ana,.