Evening star., 1936-03-31
Indicate New Draft Will
Seek to Impose Entire
Burden on District.
OLD MEASURE SPLIT
COST ON $3.50 BASIS
Solid Opposition Expected From
Commissioners and Civic
and Business Groups.
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

emily was more hopeleSsly tangled than
ever today after Senate and House
conferees, despairing Of breaking the
long deadlock over pending legislation.
decided to abandon the present meas
ure and write another in the 10-year-
long series of airport bills.
The new draft it was indicated, will
seek to impose the entire airport cost
on the District of Columbia, in spite
Of the testimony of members of Con-
gress that Federal officials are the
heaviest users of commercial airline
service out of and into Washington
This is expected to result in the solid
opposition of the District Commission
ers and local civic and business or
ganiZations.
Representative Palmisano of Mary
land, chairman of the House Confer
ence Committee, announced, following
conference late yesterday with Sem
ator King, chairman of the Senate
District Committee, that he will ask
the House to reject the pending airport
| conference report, which was unani-
mouSly approved by the Senate many
weeks ago. This will kill the pending
| legislation, fruit of nearly two years
of struggle on the part of Senate and
House committees, and will clear the
way for still another draft.
| Bill Killed in House.
The present airport measure, appar-
emily on the threshold of enactment.
| struck an unexpected snag in the
| House on March 6 when storm of
opposition to the measure was stirred
up by members of the House, angered
by the fight over the District appro-
priations bill.
The airport measure was withdrawn
on motion of Representative Bank
head, House majority leader, when it
became apparent that to force the
measure to a vote probably would re-
suit in its defeat. Since then the bill
has remained dormant. The opposi-
ton was led by group of New York
and Texas Representatives who in
sisted that the District should bear the
entire burden of constructing and
maintaining the airport for Washing
ton. They overrode arguments of
those in favor of the measure that
not only was the Federal Government
the largest user of airline services here
but that every State in the Union had
received Works Progress Administra-
ton aid in constructing airports, total
ing $40, 900. 900, but that the District
| hod mt roaoiUpT roy1f
The agreement between King and
Palmisano to abandon the pending
measure and draft a new bill probably
will be opposed by Representative
Nichols of Oklahoma, one of the House
conferees, who is understood to be in
favor of bringing the present bill up
second time after the tempers of HOUSE
members have had chance to cool.
Nichols has pointed out that the
House was in an antagonistic frame
Of mind because of the bitter fight
over the District appropriation bill
and expressed the belief that the air.
port measure might fare better at
another time. Nichols has been away
from Washington since last week, but
may return today.
Senate Bill Split Cost.
The airport bill as approved by the
Senate, split the cost between the
Federal and District governments on
$3.50 basis. AS approved by the
Senate, the bill provided for creation
of a commission of nine members,
three Senators, three Representatives
and three members to be named by
the President. This commission by
empowered to select site in the
District or in nearby Maryland or
Virginia.
The bill authorizes an appropriation
of 100000, half from Federal and
half from District revenues, for the
use of the commission. OF this amount,
$4,000 was to be used for employ
ment of experts to assist the commits
sion in selecting the airport site. and
the remaining for obtaining options
on whatever property the commission
deems necessary for the airport.
Another possibility mentioned by
Palmisano is that the 100000 may
be reduced to $4,000 for the employ
ment of advisors, leaving the commits
sion without funds for obtaining
options. This, however, it is feared,
would result in a boosting Of prices
on whatever land might be selected
by the commission.
Dirksen Seeks Action.
The third member of the House con-
ference group, Representative Dirksen,
Republican, of Illinois agreeing in
principal with the King -Palmisano
plan, expressed the opinion that the
important thing now is to get the
commission appointed and operating,
leaving the financial problem to be
worked out later.
The District Commissioners repeat
edly have held that, in so far as the
District government is concerned,
there are many items of greater i'm
portance than an airport. They have
on several occasions opposed con-
struction of a purely municipal air.
port out of District funds.
Representative Randolph of West
Virginia, chairman Of the House sub
committee which drafted the original
airport bill last year, has expressed his
belief that "the rank and file of the
residents of the District do not use the
airport for travel or for business, but
hundreds of Government officials do use
the airport here each week and thou