Evening star., 1937-07-11
Reply to Airline Flyers
Warns They Land Here on
Own Responsibility"
PUBLICATION OF DC. SITE
REPORT IS BLOCKED
But Advisory Committees Propo-
sails May Be Made Public by
House Tomorrow.

UyNt 10 pTODlde JOT washington an
adequate air transport TERMINAL
Many congressional committees and
commissions hare cOped nth the
problem OF a site and failed. While
Government held hearings, private
interests developed Washington
Airport. Strangled BY obstacles,
Washington Airport has been out
gropn by modern, high speed air.
liners. Pilots on Thursday deliUered
an ultimatum-"Giue us safe
place to land Uithin so days or We
stop flying here"
With publication OF the long
awaited report Of the District Airport
Commission blocked at the Capitol
by the Supreme Court bill debate in
the Senate and recess of the House.
Secretary of Commerce Roper late
yesterday issued warning that land
lngs and take-offs at Washington
Airport during the next so days must
remain a responsibility" Of individual
airline pilots.
formal statement made in reply to
an ultimatum of air transport pilots
that unless adequate airport facilities
are provided in Washington, they will
refuse to operate new high-Speed
transport, airplanes here. They al
lowed a period of so days for COM
pliance with their demands for i'm
provement of safety standards.
Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Harllee Branch, in charge of air
mail, said late yesterday that the
Post Office Department lis very much
worried over conditions at Washing
ton Airport in view Of steadily increas-
ing airplane speed. size and the num-
Der of schedules operated daily.
The department. he said, is ready
to establish airmail service between
Washington and Buffalo, the first
phase Of "capital-to-capital" service
between the United States and Can
ada. which will add further to the
existing airport congestion here.
Report Is Filed.
The Airport Commissions report
containing recommendations for
site or sites and was filed yesterday aft
ernoon with the presiding officer of the
Senate, Senator Pittman. and the Of
fee Of the Speaker. A copy also was
sent to the White House
Senator Pittman held that he did
not have authority to make the re-
port public without approval of the
Senate, under the law creating the
commission.
Senator King of Utah, chairman of
the commission, tried to obtain per-
mission Of the Senate to publish the
report under unanimous consent, but
was blocked by objection of Minority
Leader McNary of Oregon because of
the rigid rules governing Senate ac-
ton during its consideration of the
Supreme Court bill.
In the House the report was locked
up in the Office Of the Speaker await
ing convening of the House tomorrow.
1t was thought likely the report will
be made public tomorrow afternoon.
Secretary Roper in his reply to the
airline pilots ultimatum said the
Bureau Of Air Commerce has long
been aware of the deficiencies of the
Neutrality-suspicious. Airport and has
been instrumental in increasing its
factors Of safety"
Bureau Has Made Studies.
The Secretary of Commerce, it was
explained, has full authority to con-
troll all of the interstate operations of
the scheduled airlines and this control
extends to the type of operation con-
Quoted by such airline to and from any
airport or landing area within the
United States''
The Secretary determines upon ap-
plication of airlines whether or not
use and operation of a given airport
is safe one and can approve or dis
approve the company's application for
operation to and from any airport
base.
I'm the case of the Washington-
Hoover Airport and the two airlines
there it has long been an operating
(See AIRPORT, Page A-lI.)