Evening star., 1935-07-14

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L L local organizations concerne
uation at Washington Airport are col
road and elimination of the present {
Supporters of the McSwain bill
are confident the measure will be I
been made during the past week, Il
sition to the road-closing program
those in Arlington County who fee
airport should be provided before M
bill makes no provision for such a 81
Members of the House Military Al
fairs Committee, unanimously in favor
of the McSwain bill, feel that the pro-
vision of substitute road around the
airport is no concern of the Federal
Government, but is purely local
problem. They pointed out that Mill
tary road was built to serve Fort Myer,
but that it no longer Is needed for
military purposes and should no longer
be maintained by the Government,
especially in view Of the menace 1t
creates at the local airport.
1t is reported that when the Nc
Swain bill reaches the Senate, an
effort may be made to amend 1t by
adding to it the salient features OF
the pending Gibson bill, providing for
creation of a permanent model air
port for washington at Gravelly Point.
Such a move, however. is likely to be
vigorously opposed by thos who fear
that such an amendment would
jeopardize the whole proposal and
kill not only the Gravelly Point plan,
| but Military road closing as well.
Members Of the House District Com
mittee have specifically objected to
the Gravelly Point plan and will fight
| any effort to tack 1t onto the McSwaln
! bill. Members of the House Military
Affairs Committee also have opposed
the Gravelly Point site as being dan
gerously close to Boiling Field.
Existence of the Military-road
hazard at Washington Airport consti-
tutes too serious a menace to life to
be condoned moment longer than Is
necessary. The McSwain bill is an
emergency measure which should not
be jeopardized by any attempt to in
ject into it controversial matters.
If a fight is to be made for Gravelly
Point. long indorsed by majority oi
Washington aeronautical, business anc
civic organizations, it should be wagec
as a matter of merit apart from the
McSwain bill, in the opinion OF those
who are working for closing of the
road.
The Washington Air Derby ASso'
citation is preparing a club house To-
its members in a building donated b!
George C. Brinckerhoff at historic Col
lege Park Airport, College Park, Md
The work is being done under the SUI
pervision of Harrison Buddy" Somer
vile, president of the association, ant
Chester H. Warrington, past presi
dent and now president of the Aert
Club of Washington.
The club house will provide a NOR
pleasant place for the hangar fly
ing" which goes on at all airports ol
bad days, and will contain lockers TO
flying gear, lounge room and othe
conveniences and comforts for tn
flying and non-f1ying members OF tn
association.
Somerville is donating an awning
Warrington a fence, to go around tn
building. and other members are con
tributing furniture and equipment
The building donated by Brinckerho1
is the structure at the north end G
the hangar line.
Members of the derby group toda
will be the guests Of their presider
and his mother, Mrs. Thomas SomeI
vile, at her Summer home at Wes
Shadyside, Md. Swimming, boating
eating, games of sundry sorts and
general water fight" are on the pre-
gram. The picnic is to get unde
way about 10 o'clock this morning
Five or six of the club members al
expected to fly their planes to Shady
side, where a small field IS ava1labl'
and others will drive over. Last yea
AZ members attended the Somervil
picnic and a larger attendance is eS
pected today.
The association is planning a
aerial golf game next month an
may challenge members of the Phila
delphia Pylon Club to the first inter
, city air golf match later in the seasol
A formation of at least five airplant
from Washington is to lead the wa
to Cincinnati TOR the start on Jul
% of the first competitive cruise OF tn
Sportsman Pilots Association. III
local group is to pick up reinforce
ments at Pittsburgh, Cleveland an
other points along the route, and
is believed at least so amateur f1yel
will face the starting flag to
welded by William R. Enyart. secrt
tary of the Contest Committee of tt
National Aeronautic Association, WI
also is going from Washington for tf