Evening star., 1934-01-23
FOR AIR
SUPREMACY HERE
SEEN BY OFFICIALS
House Group Told Public
Landing Field Here Will
Check Rivalry.
E. At. HEAD DESCRIBES
PROSPECTS FOR PORT
Solomon Reveals Discussions With
Commercial Lines Reached
Deadlock Over Operation.

A struggle for aviation mastery In
Washington between the Eastern Air
Transport and the Washington Airport
virtually Is inevitable, unless the Gov
eminent establishes a public airport
here, it was testified today before the
House Military Affairs Committee.
Capt. Thomas B. Doe president Of
Eastern Air Transport. and Samuel
J. Solomon. general manager Of Wash
ington Airport, agreed that economic
rivalry between the two organizations
is almost certain to result in striking
changes in local air transport condi-
tions If Congress fails to act favor
ably on local airport legislation.
If we don't have Municipal Air
port here awe soon will be in the midst
Of a very disagreeable fight for local
air transport control" Capt. Doe told
the committee. Eastern Air Trans
port must depend for its livelihood upon
the air passenger business between
Washington and New York. We could
be forced out Of business by Washing
ton Airport If they decide, as they have
threatened, to 60 into passenger serv-
ice in competition with us and to for
bid us the use of their airport except
for airmail service.
Paying Basis Needed.
If this came to pass 1t would be
only q question Of time before they
tried to wrest the airmail contracts
from us and to absorb the remainder
Of our service to the South"
Solomon told the committee that If
the airport remains longer in private
hands it must be put on paying basis.
This has been done within the past
three months only by charging the air
lines heavily for the use of the field.
Solomon testified that if the airport
continues in private operation it un-
doubtedly will become necessary for his
company to 60 into the airline busi-
ness in competition with present air
transport companies IN order to keep
the airport alive. He described the ex-
isting condition so serious that a series
of discussions between his company
and Eastern Air Transport on the ques-
ton of future operation of the airport
reached a deadlock and the question
has been submitted to a board Of arbi-
tration headed by Eugene l.. Vidal, d.
rector Of aeronautics Of the Department
Of Commerce.
I'VE were forced to give Eastern Air
Transport two alternatives-hrst, to
pay $4,000 a month for non-exclusive
use of the airport, or s6,250 month
for exclusive privileges" Solomon said.
They elected the first alternative and
now are operating here under con-
tract requiring them to pay $4,000 for
six months use of the field
Contract Expires Soon.
Eastern Airs contract will expire May
q and the existing contracts of Penn
sylvania Air Lines and American Air
ways will expire during April, Solomon
testified
Members of the House committee
asked Capt. Doe whether his interests
would be protected if he were permitted
to land at Boiling Field pending the
construction of a municipal airport.
He replied that it would be big han
dicap to be forced to operate as mac
cessible an airport as Boiling Field. but
that such an arrangement would be OF
value "as trading point" in negotia-
tions between his company and the
local airport.
The committee received offers Of four
new airport sites at today's hearings.
Residents of Arlington County urged
development Of an airport on q large
tract Of Seminary Hill. northwest of
Alexandria Land could be acquired
there for $1,000 an acre or less, the
committee was told.
Edward r. Stitt, operating Capital
Airport, on Eastern Branch between
Kenilworth and Bladensburg, recon-
mended purchase Of 375-acre tract
there.
Site Is Recommended.
Fairfax Nulty. aeronautical engineer,
recommended development OF the Buzz
gard Point site, between the War COL
lege and the Navy Yard, through the
use of an elevated metal runway, which
he described to the committee. Seven
runways, the longest Of them 4,200
feet, and all buildings, could be provided
for S2,50O,000, he said The elevated
runways would be built of inter-
changeable perforated metal plates laid
on framework Is feet above ground
level. This, he said, would obviate the
necessity of drainage or grading OF the
site and would be a safeguard against
floods, heavy rains and snow.
E. w. Robertson. operating Mount
Vernon Always at Alexandria Airport
just south of Alexandria, Va, asked
the committee to consider the 1000
acre Hybla Valley tract there.
Members of the committee will make
a personal inspection OF number OF
sites suggested for local airport use to-
morrow morning. The trip will be
made in automobiles provided by the
quartermaster generals department Of
the Army, leaving New Jersey avenue
and c streets southwest at 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning.