Evening star., 1936-02-06
Emergency Proposals Made
to Block Transfer of Ac.
tivity to Baltimore.
COUNTY BOARD URGES
SUBSTITUTE HIGHWAY
Resolution Asks House Commit
tee to Favor Deciding Artery
to County.
BACKGROUND

center of Washington Hoouer Air
port became q menace to planes
and automobiles three years ago,
Uhen airplanes began to use high
speed planes requiring long take
offs. Ten years OF congressional
agitation haze failed to obtain for
Washington larger and more suit
able airport. In July, 1884, traffic
lights aoere placed on Military road.
Last Summer guards also tDere put
on duty on road at insiStence OF
Department OF Commerce. Arling-
ton County residents block attempts
to close road War Department
declines to sanction traffic control.
Commerce Department holds port
cannot operate il there is no traffic
control.
Faced with the closing Of Wash
ington Airport and the transfer of all
local airmail and air transport opera
tions to Baltimore on February Is.
emergency action was undertaken to-
day in both the Senate and House to
save the airport by proposal to close
Military road.
At the same time, the Arlington
County Board, in special session, insist
ed on the county's right to a substitute
thoroughfare and approved a resolu-
ton requesting the House Military
Affairs Committee to recommend that
the War Department deed the road to
the county.
Declaring that Congress must act to
prevent the closing of Washington
Airport, Senator Mcclellan, Democrat,
of Tennessee, today drafted a resolu-
ton authorizing the Secretary of War
to close Military road, which he intro
duced in the Senate this afternoon.
This is an emergency matter" Nc
Kellar said. 1T would be national
disgrace if the only air transport ter
minal in the National Capital were to
be closed"
The McKellar resolution was re-
ferred to the Military Affairs Commit
tee. Senator Sheppard, Democrat, CT
Texas, chairman, said it would be con-
sidered at the regular weekly meeting
of his committee tomorrow morning
Unwilling to Build Road.
The Arlington County Board decided
to insist upon the substitute road after
hearing Samuel j. Solomon. manager
Of Washington Airport. Solomon said
that his company would be willing to
purchase the Military road right OF
way at whatever it is worth on the
basis of its valuation as real estate
but that under no circumstances would
his company consider the construction
of a substitute road at its own expense
Solomon said that he had notified
the Federal Government of his inten-
ton to remove traffic lights and guards
from Military road.
The proposed closing of the road
is a Government matter" he said.
Questioned by members of the board
Solomon stated that undoubtedly the
company would close the airport if the
road were allowed to remain open
The double protection of traffic lights
and guards at the intersection have
proved inadequate, he reported.
I'VE have found there are always
people who disobey any form of traffic
light or traffic control" he added
citing recently narrowly averteG col
lisions between automobiles and air.
planes at the crossing.
Solomon remarked, however. thai
he felt Arlington County should
have additional road facilities to take
the place of Military road. / DOM
dispute the fact that a lot o. people
use the road and that it is an i'm.
portant connection between tht
county and Washington, but the roac
has long been in horrible shape.
consider it as little more than a right
of way and it is certainly not ths
airport's place to build a road a:
a substitute for it.
Freeland Chew, a board member
asked Solomon what assurance Ar.
lington County has that if the roac
is closed the company will not sci
the property to the Government.
Il frankly admit" Solomon replied
that the company would be glad
to sell the airport to the Govern
ment. The limit of improvement oi
this airport has been reached under
private development. No other capita
in the world has an airport which il
(See AIRPORT, Page 81