Evening star., 1935-02-18
GRAVELLY POINT
GIVEN BACKING Of
BOARD OF TRADE
Subcommittee Told Military
Should Yield to Civic
Needs.
WASHINGTON AIRPORT
URGED BY AIRLINES
Delay Necessary for Development
Objection to Former Site-Hear-
ings Resume Next Monday.


Going on record in favor of Gravelly
Point as the site for the Districts
airport, representatives of the Wash
ington Board of Trade told House
subcommittee today that if there is
a conflict between the Gravelly Point
and Boiling Field sites the military
should give way to the needs of the
civil in peace times.
Representatives of three airlines
appeared in favor of Washington Air
port, stating they feared delays in the
construction of Gravelly Point would
hamper airline operation.
The Board of Trade was represented
BY Clarence A. Miller, chairman of its
Aviation Committee, and Chester H.
Warrington, vice chairman of the
committee, and president Of the
Washington Air Derby Association
and of the Aero Club of Washington.
Miller reiterated the stand of the
Board of Trade in favor of Gravelly
Point and advocated, in opposition to
testimony of the District Commission
ers, that the District of Columbia be
charged interest on money advanced
by the Federal Government for eStab-
lishment Of an airport at Gravelly
Point. This stand he took with the
authorization of officers and the board
of directors of the trade organization
he said.
Importance Keenly Felt.
The board feels very keenly the
Importance of the development of
commercial airport for the District"
Mr. Miller said.
He declared that good commercial
airport lis essential to the business
life of the Capital City, and that it is
not essential to the business life of the
Capital City that military air opera
tions be conducted within the District
Of Columbia"
Mr.. Miller said the board believes
both fields could be operated without
conflict, through enforcement of
proper regulations If such conflict
Is unavoidable, however. he said,
then it is the opinion of the Board
OF Trade that the lesser need should
yield to the greater that is, that mill
tary operations within the District of
Columbia should be curtailed in times
Of peace to the extent necessary to
remove the alleged interference"
Warrington told the committee that
from the safety standpoint. Gravelly
Point is vastly superior to Washington
, Airport, and that the dangers at
Washington Airport will increase as
time goes on There is room for al
most unlimited expansion at Gravelly
Point, he said, while the possibilities
Of future growth at Washington Air
port are limited.
View of Rickenbacker.
Edward V. Rickenbacker, general
manager of Eastern Air Lines, advo-
Gated the immediate development of
Washington Airport to overcome the
hazards there. He said this should be
made a part of any airport program
whether at Gravelly Point or at any
other place. Both Rickenbacker and
C. Bedell Munro, president Of Penn
sylvania Air Lines, testified that
Washington Airport is one of the most
hazardous airportS in the United
States. They declared it is providen-
tial there has been no fatal crashes
there. and Rickenbacker said he never
heard telephone ring at night that
he did not fear news of fatal crash
on Military road. Munro declared
that "it has always been a mystery
to the whole aviation industry that
Washington Airport has escaped
fatal accident"
James E. Condor, president of Cen
trail Air Lines, advocated immediate
Improvement of Washington Airport,
saying that the only objection to
Gravelly Point is the length of time
necessary for its development. Ed
ward L. Mcdonnell, president of Ma
ttonal Aviation Corp, testified to the
financial structure of the company
owning Washington Airport, declaring
that the present investment in the
local field totals $1,436,794. Hear
ings will be resumed at $50 am. next
Monday.
Chamber Voices Plea.
Declaring safety of air passengers
and the national prestige" demand
the establishment of an adequate air.
port in Washington, the Aeronautical
Chamber of Commerce of America
today called upon the Federal Gov
ernment to provide promptly for 'the
establishment of a model airport for
Washington"
The Aeronautical Chamber. it was
pointed out in a resolution dealing
with the local airport situation, rep
resents the majority of the air trans
port operators Of the United States"
The organization declared the pro-
vision Of adequate airport facilities
here 'is distinctly Federal function"
It pointed out that the local airport
situation has been the subject of con-
siderable criticism and controversy
and that mo apparently satisfactory
program for the solution of this
question has been publicly advanced"
Commission Proposed.
The chamber recommended that
commission be appointed by the Presi-
dent to select and acquire the best
site available for a local airport. 1t
asked that Congress provide funds as
soon as possible for the project.
The proposed commission, it was
suggested, might be composed of one
representative each from the Post Of
flee Department, Department of Com
merce, War Department, Navy De-
partment, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, District
government and the commercial air.
lines now operating out of Wash
ington.
"This would provide for commits
sion of seven, representing all princi-
pal interests" the chamber reported,
"and we recommend that their con-
clusion be accepted as final in regard
to the site"