Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-27
MEETING TONIGHT
LOOMS AS CLIMAX
IN DUMPS FIGHT
Foes of Ugly Sites Near D. c.
Vow to Deal Death Blow
at Hearing.
OBSERVERS TO ATTEND
TO HEAR SENTIMENT
High Officials Join Irate Citizens
Of County in Opposing
Areas.
BY ANGUS GREEN.

BY ANGUS GREEN.
Busy over the week end organizing
their support and putting the final
touches on battle plans, leaders of pub
lie opinion and representatives Of civic
associations in Arlington County. Va,
are converging on the Arlington
County Court House, where tonight
they expect to deal the death blow to
ugly and menacing burning dumps
which mar the entrances to the Ma
tons Capital.
individuals and groups have adopted
their own battle cries, but, as ex-
pressed by one spokesman today, they
all amount to the dumps must go!"
Leaders who have promised to take
the floor at the public hearing. which
is called to consider a new ordinance
regulating dumps, stated they will de-
nounce the proposed ordinance on the
ground that the existing law Is SUM-
Gent and satisfactory.
ID. c. Observers to Attend.
While floor speeches will be made,
in all likelihood. only by residents Of
Arlington, it became known this morn
ing that observers from Washington
and Alexandria will be in close touch
with events.
High Government officials and the
Washington Medical Society have
Joined indignant citizens of Arlington
in condemning the dumps and de-
manding that they be abolished.
Persons favoring operation Of the
dumps, although making no public
statements so far, have assumed the
position which Commemorative At
torney Lawrence w. Douglas took at
a recent civic association meeting.
Douglas, who is a member of the
committee conducting tonight's near
ing, stated that he was mot in favor
of abolishing dumps but regulating
them"
Measure Held Needed.
Douglas also declared that the pro-
posed ordinance was needed because
it was broader and specifically defined
the manner in which dumps were to
be controlled.
Meanwhile DR.. Victor Meyers. preSi-
dent of the Rosslyn Precinct Civic
Association, in whose civic jurisdiction
one of the dumps Is located declared
today that members of his organiZa-
ton were unanimous in their cpposi-
ton to permitting the dumps 10
operate.
There is but one issue involved
DR.. Meyers said, land that issue is
whether we abolish dumps or be COM
PEELED to suffer their continued ex-
istence. If the people say they do
not want dumps, then don't see why
dumps cannot be completely aboi-
ished."
Supporting DR.. Meyers contention
is the Jefferson District Civic Asso-
citation, whose members have fire.
quently sought to bring about the
abolition of dumps. Another dump is
located in the area represented by
this association.
Edward C. Kriz, its president, de-
clared he saw no reason for a new
ordinance" The residents of Jeffer-
son district, as well as those through
out TIE county, are opposed to dumps,
he said. and "the law we have no.
expressly prohibits them except under
certain provisions which the County
Board may designate"
Emery N. Hosmer, spokesman for
several groups who are opposing the
measure and a leader in the fight
against the dumps, declared today that
he will EXPOSE the political manipula-
lions behind the ordinance" at the
hearing.
The action of the committee con-
Quoting the hearing will doubtless be
dependent on what happens tonight.
1t may recommend to the County
Board that the proposed ordinance be
approved or not approved and the
board may decide as it chooses.
Bitter Fight Possible.
If some members OF the board
desire its approval, indications are
that there will be bitter fight before
1t is approved This was seen
today when Mrs. Elizabeth Barron
Magruder, one of its five members,
declared:
Il have consistently fought against
these dumps on various grounds. any
of which is sufficient to abolish them.
i nave pe6n 6I1OaTTdSS6N frequently
when driving through the county with
friends, particularly those from Wash
ington and other places, to see great
pillows of smoke rising from these
dumps.
II was crossing Memorial Bridge
one afternoon and the whole field
nearby was ablaze, filling the air with
the vilest kind of smoke. This is the
rule, rather than the exception"
Mrs. Magruder asserted the dumps
were operated by "a few selfish in
terests'' who would damage the county
for "the fees which they get for dump
ing this waste. 1t is particularly
shameful when it is realized that the
greatest portion of rubbish and Junk
is brought in Arlington from WASH
ington."
Mrs. Magruder declined to commit
herself on the proposed ordinance
until it was presented to the board,
but that at the right time 1T will
eccive my most careful consideration"