Evening star., 1935-08-25
AIRPORT MEASURE
FAILS IN CONGRESS.
Argument Over Merits of
GraveIIy Point Blocks
Bill in Conference.
BY J. S. EDGERTON.


Despite universal recognition of the
dangerous condition Of Washington
Airport, which has led to repeated
Department of Commerce threats to
close the field to air transport opera
tions, Congress for the ninth consecu-
tive year failed to enact local airport
legislation when Senate and House
ccnferees. hopelessly deadlocked, were
unable to report TO their respective
bodies last night. There is little
chance of action this week.
The disagreement which prevented
even a skeleton form of the original
House bill coming to final action, it
was announced, came as result OF
renewal in conference Of the bitter
argument which has ragged for nearly
a decade over the merits Of the
Gravelly Point airport site.
The conference broke down, 1t was
admitted by Representative Vincent
L. Palmisano of Maryland. chairman
Of the House conferees, because of
the insiStence Of Representative Jack
Nichols of Oklahoma. one of the three
House conferees, that the bill should
include the House provision naming
members of the commission which was
to select a local airport site.
Refuse to Yield.
"The Senate conferees refused to
yield to Nichols on this point" Palmi-
sano said last night. because of a
feeling on their part that the list
proposed in the House bill was stacked
against Gravelly Point"
The Senate conferees, it was said,
made several concessions to the House
in the hope of getting action on an
airport bill. They withdrew Senate
amendment restricting the proposed
airport site to the District of Co
lumbia and yielded on several other
points, it was indicated.
1t is understood that Senator King
of Utah, chairman of the Senate
conferees led the fight against the
Nichols provision. Senator King on
several occasions has expressed
ORlAl4O44o 4dtO1 db1C W S4afCA4y O41ASs
The airport subcommittee Of the
House District Committee, chiefly on
the insistence of Nichols, killed the
Smith Gravelly Point airport bill last
Winter and. after prolonged hearings,
reported bill providing for appoint
ment of a commission of seven men,
bers to select an airport site and q
permanent commission of three men,
bers to construct and operate an air.
port on the chosen site. The bill
authorized an appropriation of
$2,500,o to finance construction of
the project.
Charges were made when the bill
reached the full District Committee
that the seven-member commission
was stacked against Gravelly Point
and, on the insistence of Chairman
Norton of New Jersey, two pro
Gravelly Point" members were added.
Senate Kills Bill.
The Senate killed the whole House
bill and passed a substitute by Sen
ator Tydings of Maryland authorizing
the President to appoint commission
to select a site and report their choice
secretly to the President and Con-
gress.
The failure of the conferees to come
to an agreement is expected to leave
Washington without even the begin
ming of permanent airport for at
least another wear
In the meantime, the Department
of Commerce is watching the situa-
ton at Washington Airport critically,
prepared to wipe Washington off the
Nations air transport map at the first
indication that the local airport has
become a public menace too great to
be countenanced any longer. Officials
of the Bureau of Air Commerce have
said that the local airport is contin-
uing in operation "on sufferance."
At the insistence of Secretary Of
Commerce Roper the airport has sta
toned guards at the Military road
crossing to supplement the existing
sirens and traffic lights and to insure
that automobile traffic is kept out OF
the path of landing and departing
aircraft. Roper stated that unless
this picket control was maintained
the airport would be closed to airline
operations, but indicated that In his
opinion even this arrangement Was o
temporary expedient at best.