Evening star., 1941-08-27
Speed Is Urged
In Settlement
Of Airport Row
Airline Officials
Outline Problems
At Conference

Early settlement of the jurisdic.
tional dispute on the Washington
National Airport was urged today by
group Of airline officials at con-
ference with the District Commits
sioners, Corporation Counsel Rich
mond B. Keech and Chairman Ran
dolph of the House District Com
mittee.
/ Bills are pending in both Senate
and House District Committees
which would place the entire airport
area within the boundary of the
District. These measures were in
troduced as result of a claim by
Virginia authorities that part of the
airport-the site on which the ad-
ministration building is located--is
in that State
Problems arising in the operation
of the airport were outlined by the
airline officials at the conference,
which lasted for more than an hour
and half behind the closed doors
of the House District Committee
room.
The airline executives pointed out
that the tax revenue from operation
of the airport and its restaurant and
other concessions should not be a
factor in delaying settlement, since
money from this source would not
pay the cost of providing police and
fire protection and other public
services.
Liquor License Opposed.
A license has been issued by the
District to the restaurant in the
administration building. An appl-
cation for a license to sell liquor at
the airport is now pending before
the District Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board. Representative
Smith, Democrat, of Virginia, is
fighting the issuance of such
license on the ground that the air
port would have the only "barroom"
IN the State. Virginia laws pro-
hibit the sale of liquor by the drink
in any place. All hard liquor must
be purchased by the bottle in State
owned and operated dispensaries.
After the conference Represent
ative Randolph issued the following
statement:
THE conference this morning was
one of series which airline officials
are having in connection with their
problems of operating the Washing
ton National Airport. They have
already met with Virginia officials,
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
District Committee, and they con-
tinued this discussion this morning
with the Commissioners, Corpora
ton Counsel Keech and myself.
National Project.
II am more firmly convinced than
ever before that settlement of this
controversy involves more than the
jurisdictional dispute between the
District OF Columbia and Virginia.
Operation of the Washington Ma
tional Airport is properly within
Federal jurisdiction. From its con-
ception to its completion the project
has always been considered a ma
tional one. Neither the District nor
Virginia contributed any direct
funds toward it's construction. Some
of the taxes and license fees received
from operation of the airport will
nowhere near pay the expenses in
volved."
Airline officials who attended the
conference included Fred Glass, at
torney for the American Airlines;
o. r. Mosier, vice president of the
American Airlines; Paul Brattain.
executive vice president of the East
ern Airlines; j. j. ODonovan, vice
president Of the Pennsylvania Gen.
tral Airlines; Robert C. Thatch,
chairman and attorney for Air
Terminal Services, Inc, and Writ
Scruggs of Eastern Airlines.
Elwood H. Seal, former District
corporation counsel, also attended
the conference.