Evening star., 1937-10-22
QUIZ SHOWS
MAJORITY FAvORS
CLOSING AIRPORT
Scheduled Flight Transfer
to Boiling Recommended
Pending Solution.
AIR MAGAZINE CHARGES
JOHNSON INTERFERENCE
American Aviation Sees Break
down in Commerce Depart
ment's Safety Principles.

Abandonment of Washington Air
port as scheduled air transport ter
minal and transfer of airline opera
tions to Boiling Field pending perma-
nent solution of the 11-year-old local
airport problem are advocated by a
majority of pilots who so far have re-
piled to Bureau of Air Commerce
QUESTIONABLE on the matter, according
to unofficial reports from reliable
sources.
AS result of an executive session
october z between officials of the
bureau, the airport, airlines and rep
resentatives of the pilots, during
which there was reported to have
been sharp disagreement as to the
safety of the local airport and the
necessity for Federal restrictions on
its use, the bureau undertook an
individual poll of pilots.
That there is disagreement among
the pilots themselves was indicated
in conflicting petitions submitted to
the bureau following the promulga-
ton on September of regulations
restricting landings and take-offs of
airplanes weighing more than $4,000
pounds to the long runway at Wash
ington Airport.
Opposing Petitions Filed.
A group of about 10 pilots and CO.
pilots flying Eastern Air Lines planes
between Washington and New York
petitioned the bureau to raise restric-
tons on the use of DE- airplanes,
which weigh about $4,000 pounds.
An opposition petition, which it is
understood was signed by more than
80 other Eastern Air pilots, denounced
Washington Airport as unsafe, de-
manded that the restrictions be con-
tinued in effect and suggested trans
fer of operations to Boiling Field
until the whole matter could be set
tied. The questionnaire replies now
coming in, it is said, bear out this
opinion.
In the meantime charges that the
Bureau of Air Commerce is being
hampered in its efforts to deal with
the Washington Airport situation by
interference of Assistant Secretary of
Commerce j. Monroe Johnson are
made in the latest issue of American
Aviation. locally edited aeronautical
magazine.
Stalling for Time Charged.
In an editorial titled "The Colonel
Carries the Key" the magazine says,
in part:
The Air Line Pilots Association
insists that the Bureau OF Air Com
merce close the airport to scheduled
airline operations. The bureau hens
and haws, stalls for time
I'm all the hullabaloo raised about
the airport in the last two years it
seems to us that the main issue has
been overlooked. Col. j. M. johnson,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce,
thinks Washinton has a good air.
port. He testified so at a congress
sional hearing this year. He can't
understand what the fuss is all about.
He even thought the President would
sign the futile bill passed by the last
Congress authorizing certain enlarge
ments. He is not inclined to close the
airport, because he thinks it's all
right.
Perhaps the Air Pilots Association
thinks the Bureau of Air Commerce
has the final word on Washington
Airport. We regret to say that there
is not man in the entire bureau,
from the director down. who has the
nerve or stamina to buck the colonel's
position.
Sees Crash Possibilities.
"The men in the bureau know who
is the key to the whole airport picture
in Washington. The airline pilots
ought to know who it is. For years
the airlines have feared a transport
crash at the doorstep OF the Nations
Capital. If it does come, what of the
man who testified that the airport II
safe and adequate?
Here is an instance of the COM
plete breakdown of the bureaus
avowed claim for safety. Curious how
the Department of Commerce uses
every political means at its command
to jealousy guard, no matter by what
means, its rights to control airline
safety and regulations-and yet falls
down completely when the true test
of safety arises. Perhaps it would be
different if the bureaus own able
men had the chance. just once, to
exercise their own authority"