Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Aviation Leaders to Seek
Presidents Aid Against
Fine Arts Group.
CONGRESS LEGISLATION
SUGGESTED BY BINGHAM
Commissions Insistence on Granite
Columns Ignores Recommendation
Of Commerce Department.

The Fine Arts Commissions insist
ence on the erection of two giant
granite columns on Columbia Island as
a part of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge project may lead to demands
for legislation to ban the construction
of any hazards to air navigation in the
vicinity of an active airport it was
indicated yesterday as plans for pro-
tests to the White House and Congress
were being formulated
While aviation leaders discussed plans
to appeal for aid in blocking con-
struction of the columns, Senator Bing-
ham Of Connecticut, president of the
gested legislation establishing a coming
area around all active airports.
Hoover to Get Protest.
A protest against the columns will
be carried to President Hoover imme-
diately, as local aviation leaders have
branded the proposed columns as
menaces to the lives of the thousands
of passengers who fly monthly from
Washington Hoover Airport.
A special committee composed Of
Lawrence E. Williams, chairman of the
Aviation Committee of the Washing
ton Board of Trade; william P. Mac
Cracker, ir.. former Assistant Secre-
tary of Commerce for Aeronautics;
Charles M. Saxelby Washington Board
of Trade, and Robert j. Cottrell, exec
utice secretary of the Board of Trade,
will make the protest.
The committee will be called together
shortly. Mr.. Williams said. and the pro-
test will be made without delay.
Legal action to block construction
of the columns has been suggested and
will be considered by officials of WASH
ington Airport If the recommendation
of the Fine Arts Commission is adopted,
It Is understood.
The action Of the Fine Arts Commits
sion Friday, officials said, ignores a
recommendation Of the Commerce De-
partment aeronautics branch that no
tyne of construction be put up in the
vicinity of the airport which would
endanger lives and property. The
columns, in the opinion Of Federal
aeronautics officials, would constitute
a decided hazard to operations.
Commerce Department officials had
indicated, following special study OF
the project, that action might be taken
to close the field to air transport opera
lions rather than to run the risk of Q
crash which might result in heavy
toll of life.
Submit Alternative Plans.
President Hoover already has inter-
ested himself in the Columbia Island
situation to the extent of requesting
that the Arlington Memorial Bridge
Committee reconsider its plans for
erection of the columns. The bridge
commission did so and submitted al
tentative plans to the Fine Arts Com
mission. The result was Fridays rec"
ommendation that the original plans,
calling for construction Of the columns,
be followed.
The Arlington Bridge Commission
previously had agreed to follow other
recommendations Of the local Aviation
Committee against erection of hazards
to air navigation in the immediate
vicinity of the airport boundary. Erec-
ton Of the proposed Navy and Marine
Memorial the foundation of which has
been completed, has been delayed until
lights are installed along the Mount
Vernon Boulevard and on Boundary
Channel Bridge to serve as a warning
to pilots.
Mr. williams has just received from
Thomas B. Macdonald, chief of the
Bureau of Public Roads, in charge of
the Mount Vernon Boulevard program,
q letter pledging cooperation in keep
ing down aviation hazards. The bureau
Mr.. Macdonald said, has taken up with
manufacturers the question of con-
Structing lighting globes for the high
way lights which will incorporate red
warning lights visible to pilots flying
over Columbia Island and promised that
''if it Is possible to accomplish the de-
sired effect we will endeavor to have
this installation made along these lines"