Evening star., 1935-03-26
Measure Would Create Com.
mission to Choose Defi-
mite Site.
COMMITTEES RULING
FAVORS PRESENT FIELD
Cost Limited to $2,5OO,OOO, Half
to Be Paid by District in
Four Installments.

Point, House subcommittee which
for many weeks has been studying
the local airport situation, TODAY re-
ported a dill providing for creation
OF commission to select a site for
Washington's evil air terminal. The
bill is to come up for considerat ton
by the full House District Committee
tomorrow morning.
Gravelly Point is the only site men,
toned by name in the report, nut by
definitely ruling against it the sub
committee is considered to have paved
the way for selection of Washington
Airport
The committee voted to limit the
cost Of the airport to $500 900. This
amount is to be advanced in full by
the Federal Government, and half of
the amount. with interest at per
cent, is to be repaid by the District
government in four equal annual in
stallments. beginning 10 years after
the airport is established
Present Airport Favored.
OF the seven members of the COM
mission designated to select the air
port site, at least four have testified
in behalf of the present Washington
Airport or represent organizations
which have supported this site during
congressional hearings this year or
in past years.
During the hearings Samuel Solo
mon, manager of Washington Airport,
suggested that the site be purchased
by condemnation. in accordance with
the procedure set up for the Tennes-
see Valley Authority so that there
would be no arguing over a fair price
The bill as reported today authorizes
condemnation proceedings If neces-
Sarv.
The subcommittee in its report also
cleared the way for possible develop
ment Of this site by providing in its
bill a clause which will permit the
transfer Of the portion of the Airing
ton Experimental Farm necessary for
enlargement of the present airport
and for the closing of Military Road
though neither site was named spe-
ciflcally.
Seven to Comprise Commission.
The commission authorized to select
the local airport site would be COM
posed Of the following seven men,
bers: The director of air commerce
Department of Commerce: the Second
Assistant Postmaster General. a men,
Der OF the House of Representatives
to be appointed by the Speaker and
TO serve as chairman of the COM
mission; member of the Senate, to
be appointed by the Vice President:
an appOintee of the air transport
companies serving the city of Wash
ington, one of the District Commits
sioners. to be selected by the Board
OF Commissioners, and Amelia Ear
hart. the aviatrix.
The director of air commerce, Eu-
gene L. Vidal, and Miss Earhart have
repeatedly appeared before congress
sional committees in support of WASH
ington Airport The airlines generally
advocated the Washington Airport
site If Gravelly Point were not imme-
diately available. and representatives
OF the Post Office Department also
have testified in behalf of Washing
ton Airport.
The subcommittee gave the follow
ing reasons for opposing Gravelly
Point
BY reason of the uncertainty of the
length of time it will take to complete
an airport, by reason of the uncer-
tainty OF the amount of money that
1t will be necessary to expend to COM
plete an adequate airport. by reason
OF the uncertainty as to whether
made land taken from the bed of the
river would prove satisfactory, and
by reason of the proximity of the site
to Boiling Field, together with teSti-
mony given by representatives of the
Department of Commerce, Bureau of
Aeronautics, the airmail division of
the Post Office Department, repre-
sentatives Of each of the four airlines
serving the District of Columbia and
Continued on Page 3. Column 81