Evening star., 1935-07-13
AIRPORT ROAD BUY
FAVORED BY BOARD
FIGHTING CLOSURE
Arlington County Body Is
Firm Against Cutting
Artery to Capital.
ARLINGTON CEMETERY
is DECLARED BARRIER
Garnett Attacks Proposal to Close
Highway as Pressure From
Private Interests
By Staff Correspondent of The Star.

BY staff Correspondent of The Star.
ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, July 13.-Refusing to
withdraw their opposition to the clos
ing of Military road across Washing
ton Airport until a satisfactory sub
stitute is provided, the Arlington
County Board, in session here today,
voted to purchase the right OF way
of the road if it is offered for sale by
the Federal Government.
The board members voted to con-
tinue their opposition to the McSwain
bill now pending in the National
House of Representatives unless the
measure is amended to provide for
substitute road around the airport
They approved the War Department
amendment to the bill which provides
that the Federal Government may sell
the right of way of Military road to
Arlington County or the State Of Vir-
ginia for ST..
The board adopted resolution pro-
eiding for acceptance of the road. II
It is offered for sale under the terms
OF the War Department amendment,
"as a county and State asset"
Cemetery Called Barrier.
Christopher p Garnett, member Of
the board who led the opposition to
closing OF the road, declared the Fed
eral Government already has estab-
lished a great barrier between WASH
ington and Arlington County in Ar
lington National Cemetery and op-
posed the interposition of another
great barrier in the form of an air
port. He declared the Government
should open a highway through Ar
lington Cemetery to provide better
communication between Washington
and the county.
Garnett attacked the proposal to
close Military road and charge that
private interests are involved, who
are seeking to put the rights OF a
few airplane users ahead of the rights
of many automobile users
A letter from an Interdepartmental
Committee composed of Assistant Sec
retary of War Woodring, Second AS
IOSl1IldSUCl 1CllCIdl oI d1iSil
and Eugene L. Vidal, director of Air
Commerce, to the House Military At
fairs Committee urging closing of
Military road as an emergency meas
IRE to safeguard human life was read
in the board record. Garnett also
read into the record a letter written
by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace
opposing the use of Arlington Expert
mental Farm property for airport
purposes and objecting to the closing
of the portion of Military road serv-
ing the farm property.
Wallace. Garnet observed, has
more sense than all tine rest of them
put together"
The board was Informed that Rep
resentative Howard w. Smith of Vir-
ginia. who has led the fight IL the
House against the closing of Military
road. thought that solution can be
worked out which VIII be satisfactory
to the county"
Opposition of the Arlington board to
the closing of the road is expected to
prevent passage Of the McSwaIn bill
by unanimous consent in the House.
An objection by Judge Smith will be
sufficient to bar its passage This
probably will force Chairman Nc
Swain of the Military Affairs Com
mittee to apply 10 tie Rules Commit
tee for a special rule for consideration
of the measure.