Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09
Board of Trade Is Declared
to Be Delaying Action on
District Site.
TRANSATLANTIC PILOT
URGES GRAVELLY POINT
Lieut.. Walter Hinton Tells City
Club Women Seaplane Facilities
Necessary.

S"Ale ycStcE0dy on the plea OF
the Board Of Trade for establishment of
Washington's proposed airport at
Gravelly Point Senator Bingham, Re-
publican, OF Connecticut, chairman of
the joint congressional airport COM
mission, declared he has not formed q
definite conclusion either for or against
that site, but believes it is necessary to
have options opened as to the cost of
other sites before a decision can be
reached as to the most economical and
desirable location.
Considers Three Points.
Senator Bingham said there are three
major points to be considered In select
ing an airport site-namely, ultimate
cost, length of time required to make
1t available for use and its accessibility.
1T was testified to at the hearings
that the Gravelly Point development
would cost in the neighborhood Of
$5,000,000 and that 1t would be flve
years before grass surface could be
developed, and a year longer before
concrete runways could be laid" the
Senator stated Chairman Bingham
said that until the cost of other pro-
templated by the pending House resolu-
ton, the relative merits Of those sites
and Gravelly Point could not be deter
mined. The resolution referred to was
recommended by the joint congressional
commission and would appropriate
$500, 900 to be used for the purpose Of
options on land for the proposed air.
port. The resolution was introduced In
the House last year, but has never been
acted upon.
The Board Of Trade aviation commit
g. Ia 80 ~ nYNFngNA
resolution on the ground that best
available sites already belong to the
Government.
Criticixes Board Of Trade.
"This is just q spoke in the wheel
that will prevent anything being done,
Senator Bingham said, In discussing
further the Board of Trade letter. He
said the reasons given in support OF
Joint commission at the hearing.
THE joint commission" Senator
Bingham added, els created by law TO
arrive at the best possible solution OF
a difficult problem, and this action Of
the Board Of Trade in opposing the flrst
definite, constructive recommendation
will serve to cause q further delay In
securing an airport by making it more
difhcult for the joint commission to
function"
Senator Bingham said he may call
q meeting Of the joint commission for
next week.
Strongly urging the establishment of
an airport which would be a model for
the world, Lieut.. Walter Hinton, first
transatlantic pilot, told members Of the
Women'S City Club at a luncheon meet
ing yesterday that the Capital will take
a prominent place on the airways map
of the Nation as soon as this Is done.
GravelIy Point Site Urged.
Pointing out that the Gravelly Point
site now is owned by the Federal Gov
eminent, Lieut.. Hinton declared that
the people of the District would be I'M
willing to spend money for the purchase
of an airport site outside the District OF
Columbia.
There is not a city in the United
States with a site so ideal from all view
points as the Capital has at Gravelly
Point" Hinton said. 1T is within 10
minutes of the heart of the city and
is the only feasible site which combines
land plane and seaplane facilities.
ITO overlook the necessity for sea-
plane base for this city would be as
sensible in the light of modern aviation
development as would be the closing of
our highways to bus and truck traffic.
The flying boat and seaplane are be-
coming of increasing importance and
must be reckoned with"
Aviation Section Commended.
Lieut.. Hinton commended the club
for its action in creating an aviation
section, the first to be established by
any woman'S organization in this city.
He predicted that within q few years
women will be flying airplanes as we'll
and as freely as they now drive auto
mobiles.
There was an inspiring picture Of
the ability of women to fiy when 16
girls arrived at Cleveland during the
National Air Races last Fall after ac-
complishing more than men had done
IN similar event only three years be-
FORE" he said.
Miss Margaret Baxter, who has played
a prominent part In the promotion Of
aviation for women in England and
Australia, told members of the club that
there is no reason why aviation should
be confined merely to the young. She
said that q 7l-year-old British noble
woman has attained wide recognition
as a flyer and that many middle-aged
women are flying well and successfully.
Chest Support Urged.
Dorsey w. Hyde, secretary of the
Washington Chamber of Commerce,
asked members of the club to aid the
Community Chest campaign in every
possible way, not only for the sake of
the Chest activity, but also to combat
unfavorable publicity which is going out
to the Nation because Of the apparent
failure Of the campaign here. Two
cities not so wealthy as the National
Capital, he said, have oversubscribed
their Community Chest quotas within
the past few days.
Mrs. Merritt o. Chance, president Of
the club, presided.
BENEEIT HORSE SH0W