Evening star., 1938-02-06
L0NGF|CHT WAGED
FOR AIRPORT HERE
Project Still Heads Program
Of Trade Board Unit
Formed in 1927.
By JOHN H. CASSADY, Jr.

BY JOHN H. Cassidy, Jr.
The history Of years of effort to OBJ
tain An adequate airport for the Dis
trict Of Columbia Is reflected &C.
eurately in the records Of the Aviation
Committee of the Board Of Trade.
Organized In 1927, under chair
mAnship Of Lawrence E. williams,
now second vice president Of the
board, this committee was made up
Of small group of the outstanding
aircraft devotees in the city. At that
time practically every member of the
unit WAS a licensed pilot or was in
some way connected with the develop
ment of airplanes and air transporta-
ton.
Today the situa ton Is almost the
same-even to the point that the COM
mittee still is waging an earnest fight
for an adequate airport for the Ma
t1on's Capital. The committees per-
sonnel, which now numbers more than
40, IS still made up Of a very large
number Of amateur and professional
aviation experts.
Personnel Of Committee.
It's vice chairman, william P. Nc
Cracken, has long been identified With
the development of air transportation
and for several years served as As
eistant Secretary Of Commerce In
charge Of aviation.
Other members include Chester H.
Warrington, formerly president of
both the Aero Club and the Wash
ington Air Derby Association; Col. A.
B. Barber, chief of the transportation
section Of the Chamber Of Commerce
OF the United States; John j. Esch,
former Interstate Commerce commits
sioner: ]. F. Victory. executive secre-
tary OF the National Advisory Com
mittee on Aeronautics; John S.
Wynne, formerly with the Bureau Of
Aeronautics; S. ]. Solomon, manager
Of the Washington Airport, and many
noted local sportsman pilots.
Clarence A. Miller. general counsel
OF the American Short Line Railroad
Association, is chairman Of the com.
nittee. and william H. Press, assistant
secretary Of the Board OF Trade, Is
secretary.
The committees first annual report,
IN April, 1928. pointed out that the
outstanding question before 1t at that
time was the selection OF suitable
airport for the National Capital. It
recommended to the Board Of Trade
the approval Of Gravelly Point as the
RttA NJ the vS,YrjriyAI oil
attention to the fact that the Commits
sioners Of the District, the Army Air
Corps and the National Aeronautics
Association had all recommended that
this site be accepted.
The following year, the chairman
OF the committee called attention to
the fact that there were two important
phases Of the activity in connection
with obtaining the Gravelly Point site
-arousing enough civic interest to in
huence rapid action and actually get
ting the airport.
In connection with the first phase,
Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, Americas
premier war ace, was brought In to
address . meeting and the doors had
to be closed for lack of space. The
second phase Is still in process of COM
pletion.
In 1890. the committee spent con-
siderable time working with the Joint
Congressional Committee on the air.
port problem. This committee was
opposed to Gravelly Point because of
the expense 1t said would be involved.
Point Is d. C. Property.
The committee has always main
tanned its position that Gravelly Point
IS the ideal location for a municipal
airport. This site. it Is emphasized,
already belongs to the District of
Columbia and thus, no money would
have to be appropriated for purchase
of site.
In addition, the committee points
out, . municipal airport should be as
near to the city's business section as
possible. Gravelly Point, 1t contends,
Is ideally located in this respect, while
other sites. such as the proposed one
At Camp Springs, are too far removed
to be OF any real value as an air ter
minal.
It is approximately 10 miles from
Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue to the Camp Springs location,
according to the committee.
As for the cost of the new municipal
airport. the committee contends the
Federal Government should bear al
most the entire burden since, it Is
estimated, 90 per cent Of the air trafic
to and from Washington is concerned
with Government business. The COM
mittee feels the taxpayers of Washing
ton should not be called upon to bear
any very large part Of the cost Of such
. project.