Evening star., 1942-04-17
Ddrden Pledges
Virginia 10 Fight
Recession Bill
Help OF Governor
Asked by Arlington,
AIexundrio Group
n, the Associated Press.

~ the Associated PresG.
RICHMOND. Va, April l7.--Ar
lington County and the city G
Alexandria had the assurance c
Gov. Darden today of his whole
hearted support in their figh
against being returned to the Dis
trict by act OF Congress.
I'm the midst OF desperate wal
we should not be thrown into
wrangle with the Federal Govern
ment," the Governor told a delega
tion OF 20 representatives OF tn
county and city who come here yes
terday to map strategy In opposition
to the pending McCarran bill. whicl
would repeal the Act OF l946 re
turning the area TO Virginia.
The Governor said the Stat
would intervene on It's own behal
through the Office OF the attorne.
general, and suggested that thu
county and city marshal citizens
against the proposal. consider tn,
employment OF special counsel u
appear before the Senate COMMITTEES
and keep the State authorities ad'
vised on developments.
Liquor Question Plays Part.
Some members of the delegation
said they believed the question oi
liquor sales at the National Airport
had played big part in the move tc
return the area to the District, anc
Gov. Darden expressed the belief
ihat II the airport problem could Dc
worked out the whole matter would
be settled.
Rather than take any chances or
losing the rich and populous Airing
ton area, the Governor said he woule
even 10 so far as 10 consider calling
a special session of the General AS
senlhiy. He added. however, that
he believed something could be
worked out, without special ses-
sion, to solve the airport liquor
question TO the satisfaction of the
Federal authorities.
As far ms he personally was con-
eerned, the Governor said he would
be willing to concede the Federal
Government control over liquor sales
at the airport.
E.L. Usilton. president OF the Ar
lington Chamber of Commerce, said
his group would be satisfied to see
the airport put under District OF
other Federal control II the rest OF
the recession" proposal were
dropped.
Alexandrians "Alarmed.a
City Manager Carl BIdwesky OF
Alexandria said persons of the area
had become alarmed and disturbed"
by Senator McCarran's proposal and
declared that during the IS years
the section was part OF the Dis
trict It was mot only neglected, but
tragically abused"
"It became a roosting place of all
undesirable elements" he said.
"we take pride In the fact that
we are part OF the Commonwealth
and / don't know of anything that
would be more disheartening to the
people than to chop us of and give
us to the District of Columbia"
Gov. Darden assured him of Vir-
sinia's assistance and pointed out
that the State had a big interest
from the standpoint of revenue in
the Arlington Alexandria area.
THE territory will be gotten from
as only after the exhaustion of every
effort on our part TO prevent II,
the Governor declared.
He suggested that a request be
placed before the Senate District
Committee for postponement OF
hearings until after the war, adding
that would not be an unreasonable
request in view of the mounting
pressure of current affairs.
Concession Opposed.
Mr.. Budwesky said AlexandrianS
felt that to make any concession
in the controversy would be dam
gerous. but that Arlington County
should be the one to decide on that
phase of the problem.
Gov. Darden said he wondered If
the county might be just as we'll of
with the Federal Government con-
trolling the airport, because OF the
cost of policing it,
It was recalled that the 1912 Gen.
ersl Assembly passed bill to set
tie the long-disputed boundary line
under terms Of which the airport
would be declared in Virginia anc
Virginia liquor laws would prevail
That would prevent the sale oi
liquor by the drink on the airport
property, unless some special ar
rangement was made, and ii was il
this connection that Gov. Darder
made the comment about a Genera
Assembly special session.
Other members of the group in
eluded Paul A. Hill, secretary of The
Arlington Chamber Of Commerce
r. A. Stevens, Eugene L. de Hegh
B. J. Dorsey, E. G. Baldwin. w. M
Stone and Earl r. Kirby, all of Ar
lington: William T wilkins. mayol
of Alexandria; Commonwealth At
torney Albert V. Bryant, John Ahra
ham. John w. Howard, Eugen
Simpson, vice mayor; Chester G
Pierce, o, H. Reardon. Robert G
Whitton, NJ E. Greene. manager o
the Alexandria Chamber of Com
merce: John D. Matter and Georg,
x. Bender. all of Alexandria. an,
Verbon E. Kemp of the State Cham
Der OF Commerce.