The Washington times., 1936-02-10
AIRP0RTGR0UP
ACTS0N ROAD
CLOSING
House Military Affairs
Committee Plans
To Speed Bill

AS the House Military Affairs
Committee met today to report out
q bill to close Military Road.
crossing the Washington Hoover
airport, preparations were under
way to expedite a congressional
action on legislation designed to
give washington a permanent and
adequate airport.
Representative John j. McSwain
CD Of South Carolina. chairman
of the Military Affairs Committee,
was virtually certain that his COM
mittee will speedily approve the
Military Road closing measure to-
day, and declared he will seek a
hearing before the House Rules
Committee tomorrow to obtain a
special rule for House conSidera-
ton of the bill at the first possible
opportunity.
It is necessary that the measure
be rushed through Congress and
signed by the President by the end
of this week, since the Federal
authorities have announced their
intention of closing the airport by
February IS unless the road is
closed or proper safeguards are
placed on the road.
Possibility that McSwain will
run into trouble on the Rules
Committee was suggested today,
since Representative Howard w.
Smith CD of Virginia is a mem
ber Of that committee, and he
has declared that he will make
every effort to stop the road
closing measure. He contends
that II the road is closed by
congressional action it never
again will be opened, although
the bill definitely states that the
road shall remain closed pend
ing final determination" Of the
controversy by Congress.
Chairman McSwain has re-
vealed that If he is successful in
obtaining the rule from the
Rules Committee he expects to
call the bill up in the House a
oay or Two later.
If he does not meet with sue
cess before the Rules Committee,
he explained, he will ask that
the House rules be suspended so
that he may call the bill up.
This, however, cannot be done
until next Monday, so it Is be-
heved that If he is forced into
this course, he will seek the CO.
operation Of the Federal authori.
ties so as to extend the time
they have set for closing the
airport for probably another
week.
He Is confident that the House
will pass the bill when it is
brought before that body, point
ing out that practically all of the
members feel it would be poor
policy to allow a situation come
about under which there would
be no airport at the National
Capital.
Meanwhile, enator Millard
Tydings CD of Maryland. chair
man of the Senate conferees on
the proposal providing for the
creation of a commission to study
and purchase q municipal airport
here, has announced he will con-
fer with his colleagues and House
conferees on the bill to see if some
agreement cannot be reached.
The House bill names the persons
who would serve on the commits
sion, while the Senate bill would
leave the naming of the commits
sion members to the President.
Should an agreemen; be reached
by the Senate and House con-
ferees on this proposal, it is ex-
pected that it will be sped through
Congress so that the commission
can begin its work Immediately.
The bill has been in confer
ence between the House and Sen
ate since last session and had lain
dormant until the recent action
which brought on the emergency
GK"pV