Evening star., 1937-07-13

Since 1926, local derondutical,
cipic, business and real estate in
terests haze been pickering be-
fore Congressional committees oUer
the need for and location OF
model air transport terminal for
Washington Efforts OF Congress
to do something hare broken do1Un,
year after year, in deadlock oper
riual merits OF Washington Hoover
Airport and Grduelly Point. Dis
trict Airport Commission, created
II months ago, yesterday came out
for 1,9O0-dcre site at Camp
Springs, Md.
While the District Airport Commis-
sion today prepared to seek approval
by Congress of its selection OF the
site for a model local air terminal at
Camp Springs, Md. airline pilots who
have served notice that they will not
continue to fly at Washington Airport
unless greater safety is provided
sought a temporary field, pending a
permanent arrangement
1t is understood negotiations are to
be opened at once for temporary use
of new Boiling Field as an emergency
base, possibly for a year or more. The
new Army field is not being used by
the Army because of lack of techni-
cal construction, including hangers
and other necessary buildings.
Members of the Airport Commits
sion, who refrained in their report
from describing the exact location OF
the 1,900-acre tract they have rec
commended at Camp Springs, ex-
planned that this was because they
have been unable to obtain options
on some of the property.
Options have been acquired or
about 80 per cent of the properties
comprising the area, it was explained
The commission. which was given
$4,000 with which to acquire op-
tions, has been unable to take them
on the remaining 10 per cent and it
Is believed part of this area would
have to be acquired through condem-
nation proceedings.
Nichols Refuses to Sign.
Representative Jack Nichols of Ok
lahoma, secretary of the Airport Com
mission, who refused to sign the re-
port recommending the Camp Springs
site alone, said that in his opinion an
alternative close-in site also should
have been provided.
Il believe that Camp Springs will
make an excellent airport" Nichols
explained. But I also believe that
we should have a terminal as close
to the business section. as possible,
which can be used, except In very
bad weather-say 80 per cent OF the
time.
The first step toward carrying out
the recommendations of the Airport
Commission is to be the drafting of q
bill authorizing the construction of an
airport at Camp Springs and setting q
limit Of cost. Senator King of Utah,
chairman OF the commission, expects
to call meeting of the members this
week to complete the drafting of such
q bill
One OF the first major problems to
be settled will be the method of f1nanc-
Ing the airport program. This will de-
pend on whether the airport is to be
purely national in characters model
Federal airport for the Nation-or a
Federal-municipal airport If it is de-
eided that the District is to share in
the expense, it must be determined
what proportion the local taxpayers
are to contribute
Many of the commission members
believe the Camp Springs project
should be wholly Federal in character
and paid for by the United States.
Then. If the District wants an airport
closer to the city, that should be paid
for entirely by the District
Senator King said that if the Camp
springs project is to be purely ma
tional, he thought the Federal Gov
eminent should pay for it. Repre-
sentative Mary T. Norton of New
Jersey, member of the. commission and
former chairman of the House District
Committee, believes the Federal Gov
ernment should pay for an airport
which would be a model for the Nation.
The present chairman of the District
Committee, Representative Palmisano
Of Maryland, also believes it should be
q Federal project, as does Representa-
tive Nichols, secretary of the COM
mission
Decision on Committee.
The decision as to the financing OF
the project will determine to which
OF the standing committees of the
Senate and House the measure will
be referred. Should the bill provide
for = purely Federal project, it will
70 to the Senate Commerce Com
mittee and the House Interstate Com
merce Committee, in all probability
Should the District be assessed share
Of the cost. the bill will 60 to the
District committees.
Negotiations for use of Bollinf
Field would cover operations thers
only In emergencies. Such emergencies
in the opinion Of the airline pilots, ar.
created when cross winds at Washing.
ton Airport make use OF the MAR
4,200-foot runway impossible, or wher
bad weather shrouds the obstacle!
around the field and makes approache!
unduly hazardous. 1t is because o
these hazards that the National All
Line Pilots Association, acting on be.
half of pilots flying new high-speee
equipment out of Washington Airpor
delivered their "ultimatum" las
Thursday.
The new Boiling Field has beer
used by the airlines for emergency
operation on several occasions.
Lighting Not Completed.
Lighting of the new Boiling Fielc
has not been completed and night
operations would have to be carried
on with the use of smudge pots, the
pilots were informed. Runway flood.
lights may Be installed at the new
(see AIRPORT, Page BAD