Evening star., 1941-09-06
Presidential Power
Held Enough 10 Put
Virginia Land in D. {.
Assent of Neither Stute
Nor Congress Needed,
Senate Body's Aide Suys

The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission was asked
today to furnish the Senate District
Committee with charts depicting
the areas of Federal-owned land
in nearby Virginia-property that
Chairman McCarran wants to be
placed within the territorial limits
of the District.
Request for the information was
made by r. F. Camalier, special
aide to the committee, following a
visit to the White House yesterday
by Senator McCarran, who discussed
his proposal with President Roose-
velt and indicated he was given a
sympathetic ear.
Several weeks ago Senator Nc
Carran announced he planned to
introduce a bill designed to pave
the way for retrocession of that part
of nearby Virginia that made up
the 10 miles square that originally
formed the District. At the con-
ference with the President, how
ever, he modified this plan and
suggested that only Federal-owned
property in Virginia contiguous"
to the District be added to the pres
ent District of Columbia.
Would Include Airport.
That would include the new
Washington National Airport, Ar
lington Cemetery, Fort Myer, the
Department of Agriculture's expert
mental farm near which 1t is planned
to build a new home for the War
Department, and possibly the Ma
val Torpedo Station in Alexandria.
Il discussed with the President" "
said Senator McCarran, "a proposal
for a study contemplating the TAX
ing over by the Federal Govern
ment of all Federally owned prop
erty in Virginia contiguous to
Washington.
TT was my idea originally. and
I am glad to have acquiescence in
it."
Mr.. Camalier has been given au-
thority by Chairman McCarran to
proceed Immediately with a study
of his plan and to call for all neces-
sary aid in the Federal or District
departments.
Sees Proclamation Sufficient.
Mr.. Camalier first called on the
Park and Planning Commission for
information as to the area of Fed
eral-owned property in nearby Vir-
ginia. Next, he told newspapermen,
it was his opinion the President
himself could, by proclamation,
place that area within the bound
aries of the District, without either
approval of the House or Senate
or the Virginia State Legislature.
Retrocession of the original por-
ton of the District given back to
Virginia would require approval of
Congress and ratification by the
State Legislature.
Representative Smith. Democrat,
of Virginia, reached by long-dis-
tance telephone at his summer
home in Warrenton, described Sem
ator McCarran's plan as lust an
other move" to place the new air.
port at Gravelly Point in the Dis
trict.
Virginia Delegate Opposed.
Charles r. Fenwick, member of
the Virginia House of Delegates
from Arlington County, who op-
posed Senator McCarran's proposal
several weeks ago which called for
theS recession of all of Arlington
County to the District. said he also
believes that some of the provisions
of the next proposal are unwiSe.
The latest plan has unlimited
possibilities and could conceivablv
have the same result as the first
plan offered by Senator McCarran:
it could destroy an entire political
subdivision" Mr.. Fenwick said
From press reports of the new pro-
posal it would appear that the Dis
trict's borders would be expanded
each time the Federal Government
made a new acquisition contiguous
to the District so that the ultimate
result could be that the District ex-
panded its borders to take in all OF
Arlington, or, for that matter, the
State of Virginia, each time new
Federal acquisitions we're made.
For that reason 1 feel that this
provision of the plan is unwise. The
whole question is one that should be
approached from a standpoint that
is fair and equitable. Obviously, the
situation at the new Washington
National Airport is one that should
be adjusted"
County Officials Silent.
County Manager Frank c. Hanra-
han of Arlington County declined to
comment on the proposal and said
he felt it was a legal question. Com
monwealth's Attorneys Lawrence w.
Douglas of Arlington and Albert v.
Bryan of Alexandria each declined
to give any reaction at this time
Mr. Douglas conferred with Attor-
ney General Abram p Staples of
Virginia this week on the airport
and boundary question and the latest
plan of Senator McCarran's would
have some bearing on the problems
discussed by the two legal officials.
These problems. taken up before the
plan was made known, are now being
studied by Mr.. Staples.
Legislation is now pending in
Congress to end the century-old
boundary dispute between the Dis
trict and Virginia and definitely
locate the airport in the District.
Representative Smith contends that
the administration building at the
airport-the building In which the
restaurant is located-is on Vir-
ginia property.
Promises Eight.