Evening star., 1937-10-24
War Department Insists on
Joint Operating Unit
and Rental.
MANIFESTS SURPRISE
TO THOSE CONCERNED
Details Become Known Almost
Simultaneous With First
Emergency Transfer.

Washington will be required to set
up joint terminal operating COM
pany, to construct necessary quarters
for Federal activities and to pay a
rental for the use of Federal property
before being permitted to transfer
regular operations from Washington
Airport to Boiling Field.
Details Of a new War Department
manifesto governing the use of Boil
ing Field by the airlines became known
yesterday afternoon, few hours after
the first emergency transfer of air.
line operations from Washington Air
port to the new Army flying field.
Coming as surprise to most OF
those concerned, the War Department
requirement that Joint terminal
company be set up and that rental be
paid for the use of Boiling Field in
jected fresh complication into the
already badly muddled airport situa-
ton.
Mergers of Lines Forbidden.
Under the new airmail act, mergers
or combinations of air transport COM
panies generally are forbidden, al
though certain exceptions have been
allowed with approval of the Post
Office Department and Interstate Com
merce Commission in cases which
have not involved major routes.
Creation of the terminal organiza-
ton required at Boiling Field, how
ever, would necessitate combined ac-
ton by three major air transport lines
Eastern Air Lines, American Air
lines and Pennsylvania Central Air
lines. In view of the local emergency,
1t is believed that the three lines
will be permitted to combine for the
purpose of setting up a purely local
terminal group, so long as the action
does not influence interstate opera
tions under the airmail law.
The War Department is prepared
10 insist that the operating group
be set up and that necessary build
ings be constructed at Boiling Field
before any permanent transfer of
operations from Washington Airport
is permitted. The airlines, through
their terminal company, also will be
required to obtain building and
operating permits before the transfer
is allowed.
Requirements Given in Letter.
The new War Department require
ments were set forth in a letter from
Secretary of War Woodring to Sec
retary Of Commerce Roper, copies
of which have been sent by Lieut..
Col. William Ord Ryan, commanding
officer at Boiling Field, to operations
officials of the three airlines.
Pointing out that ''in order to
comply with existing law. operating
and building permits will be neces-
sary before Boiling Field can be
made temporary base for air COM
merce operations" Secretary Wood
ring said: The facilities at Boiling
Field are totally inadequate for such
an activity without some construc-
ton and installation of utilities. The
War Department would in no event
permit scheduled operations 30 start
until the field is in readiness there
for and agreements for its use are
concluded.
IN order that interference with
the administration of Boiling Field
shall be reduced to minimum" Mr..
Woodring told Mr.. Roper, "the air.
line companies desiring to use the
field must organize an operating or
terminal company authorized to act
for all in doing business with the
commanding officer of Boiling Field
and with the War Department.
1T is understood, informally, that
in the event the airlines move to
Boiling Field, they will desire to =
construct temporary terminal build
ing and temporary storage building.
Sites for these buildings can be made
available However, in the event the
Post Office Department, the Weather
Bureau and the Airways Control
Office of the Department Of Com
merce should also desire space at
Boiling Field, such space should be
provided in the plans for the ter
minal building, as grounds cannot
be made available for separate build
ings for each activity"
Separate Billings Specified.
Connection can be made to the Boil
ing Field sewer, water and elect.
systems, Secretary Woodring sa
However, meters will have to be IL
stalled and the terminal company mt
be billed directly for water and ele.
tricity consumed. The terminal con.
pany also must make arrangement
for telephone and telegraph service.
"At termination or revocation of an
permit granted the using agencies vii.
be required to restore grounds to their
original condition, at no expense to
the Government" the Secretary of
War said.
Night lighting installations at the
new army post will be made available
to the airlines, provided the system
Is connected to a meter-measuring
current used by the airlines, 1t was
ruled.
Section 321 of the act of June 30,
1882 (47 Stat. 4l2) requires the War
to make charge for the
use of the field" Mr.. Woodring stated.
1T is believed that fiat rate of $500
per month to the terminal company,
as it sees fit, would be an
equitable charge based on estimated
cost to the Government,
as result Of the proposed use of the
field and on other factors"
In a petition to the Bureau of Air
Commerce protesting the Federal reg
ulations which would make neces-
sary an emergency transfer of opera
tions to Boiling Field, Capt. Edward
1szl-z
Eastern Airlines, declared that neces-
sary construction at Boiling Field for
commercial operation would cost from
s100, 900 to S150,000. This investment
would be wiped out. without any res
dual value when. as and if that field
would be discontinued for commercial
he said.