Evening star., 1941-08-16
McCarran Will Seek
Recovery Of Land
Virginia Gave DC.
Decides to Back Plan
After Bill for New
War Office Passes

Congress will be asked by Chair
man McCarran of the Senate Dis
trict Committee to repeal the act
of 1846, that gave back to Virginia
it's portion of the original National
Capital
He decided to take this step after
the House and Senate had passed
the supplemental defense bill yes
terday, placing a $4,000, 900 new
building for the War Department
in Arlington County on the ground
that no suitable site for the struc-
ture remains in the District.
The PROPOSAL Immediately drew
the condemnation of members OF
the Virginia State Legislature in
nearby Arlington County and Alex
andria, who claimed that no mem
Der of the General Assembly would
agree to the plan.
Orders Bill Drafted.
The Nevada Senator said he had
directed r. F. Camalier, adviser to
the District Committee, to prepare
a bill to reclaim Federal jurisdic-
tion over the area across the Po-
tomac, which Virginia originally
ceded to Congress for part of the
Capital and then took back.
The Senator said he is proceed
ing on the theory that whatever
Congress could do by legislative
enactment, it can undo, and that
if Congress had the power in 1916
to return the land to Virginia, it
can repeal that act. During de-
bate on the location of the War
Building Thursday Senator McCar-
ran questioned the right of Con-
gress to dispose of the Virginia
area, once it had accepted it under
the Constitutional provision call
ing for a seat of government not
TO exceed 10 miles square.
Invalid, McKellar Says.
Although Senator McKellar,
Democrat, of Tennessee, favored
the Arlington site for the building
he went further than Senator Nc
Carran in Thursdays debate by de-
claring the retrocession of the
Arlington area to Virginia was I'M
constitutional, and predicted the
courts would SO hold. For that rea-
son, he argued, the new building
will be under Federal jurisdiction
Senator McCarran said he did
not know what position the State
of Virginia would take if his bill
passes. but suggested he would give
the Old Dominion State a chance
to submit the issue to the courts.
Charles r. Fenwick of Arlington
County and Maurice D. Rosenberg
of Alexandria, both members of th'
House of Delegates, were quick tt
raise the issue of "State rights
concerning Senator McCarran':
plan.
THE gentleman overlooks th'
fact that Virginia has accrued
vested rights in this land as result
of the Act of Recession" Mr.. Fen
wick declared. "It is not as though
Virginia would be giving back some
thing that was originally owned b.
the Federal Government. The liant
was originally Virginia's.
Mr.. Fenwick and Mr. Rosenberg
said not one member of the Genera
Assembly would agree to cede tn
area back to the District and tina
residents of the area would objec
because they moved to Arlington
and Alexandria because they wantet
to live in Virginia.
Gov. Price, at Norfolk, Va, sale
he hasn't seen Senator McCarran'
proposal, but my first impression
is we are getting along all righ
with what we have" the Associates
Press reported.
THAT plan is one sure way to re
open the Civil War;" Mr.. Rosenber,
said in summarizing his views.