Evening star., 1936-02-08
CONGRESS TO PUSH
ROAD CLOSING To
PRESERVE AIRPORT
Suspension of Rules Plan
in House and Senate
for Monday.
WOULD OVERCOME
VIRGINIA OPPOSITION
subcommittee Completing Draft
of Identical Bills for Tenn
porary Solution.
BACKGROUND

BACkCROUND-
POORLY located and inadequate in
size, Washington Airport, in nearby
Virginia, has operated under dddt-
ttonul hazard OF uehiculdr road run
ming across landing strip. In July.
1894, traffic lights tDere placed on
road: last Summer guards also Uere
assigned to duty. War Department
declined to sanction traffic control,
ARLINGTON County group blocked at
tempts to close high,Day.
This ,Ueek airport manager threat
cned to remoue lights and guards,
Commerce Department threatened
to noue mail service to Baltimore.
Under a suspension of the rules.
If necessary. as a means of overcoming
opposition from members OF the Vr-
sinia delegates, the Senate and House
will be asked early next week to rush
through legislation providing for the
immediate temporary closing OF Mill
tary road.
Unless Military road is closed by 4
pm. next Saturday, the loss OF all
local airmail and air transportation
Is threatened. Samuel j. Solomon,
manager of Washington Airport, in the
face of Justice Department investl-
cation requested by Secretary OF war
Dern, has announced he will remove
Military road traffic lights and guards
at that time. The Commerce De-
partment has issued warning that
unless these safeguards remain it Will
be compelled to close the airport to
all airlines operations.
subcommittee of the Senate and
House Military Affairs Committees,
acting jointly. today are completing
the drafting of identical bills, which
will be introduced in both branches
of the Congress Monday.
For Immediate Closing.
These bills, authorized at joint
session of the two committees yester-
day. will provide for closing the road
pending further legislative action by
Congress to settle permanently the
local airport problem. Jurisdiction
over the right of way of the road is
to remain with the War Department.
Representative Howard w. Smith
of Virginia, indicated he will fight the
road closing bill when it comes up in
the House unless provision Is made
for substitute road to carry Military
road traffic around the airport. Chair
man McSwain of the House Military
Affairs Committee said he would re-
sort to every means allowed by House
rules to push the measure to speedy
enactment.
This is vital emergency" Repre-
sentative McSwain said. Human life
is jeopardized under the existing situ-
alton. Loss of airmail and air trans
portation service is threatened. We
can't afford to wait on quarrel be-
tween Washington Airport and Ar
lington County,
McSwain said he would move to Sus-
pend the rules and pass the measure
on Monday. This would require pass
age of the measure without amend
ment by a two-thirds vote.
Senator Byrd of Virginia is expected
to oppose the measure in the Senate,
but members of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee hope to be able to
push the matter to a vote early i'll
the week.
Decision of the Military Affairs Com
mittees to sponsor the road-cloSing bill
was reached in executive session yes
terday afternoon following lengthy
hearing before the House Committee,
which was joined during part of the
session by members of the Senate
Committee.
At this hearing closing of the road
was urged by representatives OF the
War, Post Office and Commerce De-
partments, the four airlines operating
out of Washington, Washington Air
port, the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and by Repre-
sentative James M. Mead of New York,
chairman of the House Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads.