Evening star., 1935-02-10
CONGRESS TO GET
AIRPORT BILLS
GraveIIy Point Battle Ex-
pected to Reach Both
Houses This Week.

the Capitol during the coming week.
The House hearings are to be re-
sumed at 10 am. tomorrow, with
large number of witnesses yet to be
heard. The highlight of the second
day of the hearings yesterday came
when Walter L. Fowler, assistant Dis
trict corporation counsel, voiced an
opinion that the District Commits
sioners, who last year opposed any
expenditure of District funds Tor air
port purposes, might approve passage
of an airport bill this year, and that
they unqueStionably would favor the
Gravelly Point site.
The Senate District Committee is
expected to undertake consideration
of the Gibson bill, which also pro-
videS for construction of model air
port at Gravelly Point. The Gibson
bill, far more comprehensive meas
ure than the Smith bill, probably will
be used as a basis for rewriting of
the Smith measure by the House COM
mittee, it was indicated informally by
committee members.
Testimony Is Favorable.
At yesterdays hearing. held by the
Park and Fairgrounds Subcommittee
of the House District Committee,
testimony in favor of Gravelly Point
was given by representatives of the
District government the Public Works
Administration and the Federation of
Citizens Associations.
A word of warning against the use
of Gravelly Point in the event Wash
ington Airport is to continue in oper-
alton was voiced by Rex Martin, as
sistant director of air commerce, De-
partment of Commerce. Martin said
the operation of Boiling Field, the
Naval Air Station, Gravelly Point and
Washington Airport might create
very serious hazard and advised that
this situation be carefully considered
before any great amount of money
is put into Gravelly Point.
Martin said the Bureau of Air Com
merce will not take any part in the
selection of a site for Washington.
The bureau has adopted the policy
of leaving selection of airport sites
to the city or community involved, he
explained. He said his bureau will
be glad to act in an advisory capac-
ity, if called upon to do so, and that
it will in any event pass upon the
safety requirements of any site which
may be chosen.
Hazards Would Be Increased.
Martin said that future develop
ments in air transportation must be
taken into account in laying out an
air terminal such as that at Gravelly
Point. The instrument landing of
air transport planes in heavy fog and
thick weather, he said, is going to
create hazards which would be greatly
multiplied in the case of adjoining
airportS.
Edwin S. Hege, representing the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
reiterated the stand the federation
has taken in favor of Grayelly Point.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Fow-
Ter, appearing in the absence Of
Corporation Counsel E. Barrett Pretty
man, who is ILL., told the committee
that because of the illness of Commits
SAOAANA A4odCAA oAAN I1lC aDOCllSC
the city of Commissioner Allen. the
Board of Commissioners has not had
an opportunity to act on the Smith
bill or to adopt an airport policy for
the present local administration.
Il feel confident, however" he said,
that the present Board of Commits
sioners will be favorable to Gravelly
Point"
He said that engineering studies
which have been made by the District
government have resulted in the ap-
proval of Gravelly Point as the best
suited site available for airport
purposes.
Last year." Fowler said, tine Dis
trict Engineer Commissioner expressed
an opinion, based upon a preponder-
ance of expert aviation opinion, that
the proximity of Gravelly Point to
Boiling Field would not occasion a
serious conflict in peace times and
that in war times complete control
of operations would be invoked to pre-
vent any conflict"
Opposed to Smith Bill.
Fowler said that although the Com
miSSionerS would favor the Gravelly
Point site in preference to any other
location, he did not think they will
approve the Smith bill.
He took opposition to a provision
of the bill which would require that
the District government pay half of
the cost of $2,000000, but that the
District would have no part in the
management of the airport and would
receive none of the profits, If any He
said that under the bill the District
would be called upon to assist the
superintendent of National Capital
parks in acquiring and paying for
the airport site, but that thereafter
the District would drop out of the
picture"
Under the Smith bill" he said,
"the District, after paying half the
cost of developing the airport. would
have nothing to do with its operation.
All the receipts from operation of the
United States. If the District is to
pay half Of the costs, it should share
the profits"
FoWler also raised the point that
no provision has been made in the
bill as to the provision of furds for
maintenance and said that the Dis
trict should have a clear understand
ing as to this feature
Other Projects More Urgent.
He said that last year the District
Commissioners had reported unfavor-
ably on all local airport bills because
they felt that other local projects,
such as hospitals, schools and jail IA
cilitieS were more urgently needed.
Il don't want you to understand.
however" he said, that this is the
policy of the present Board of Com
missioners. They have not adopted
a policy with regard to the airport
this year. I feel that they may favor
an airport bill now but am certain
that If thew do thev will want a bill