Evening star., 1943-01-16
Planners Urge
Early Action on
Boundaries Bill
Delay May NuIIify
Virginia Agreement,
Congress Warned

Early congressional settlement of
the years-old boundary dispute be-
tween the District OF Columbia and
Virginia was urged today by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission following its REIN
dorsement OF the Randolph bill
which would establish the new line
at the present mean high-water
mark on the Virginia shore.
There is only one party to the
dispute now, planning officials said,
in view of the fact that the Virginia
Legislature already has declared its
willingness to accept the boundary
line set forth in the pending Ran
dolph bill.
Congress can enact the bill or 1t
can nullify the action of the Vir-
ginia Legislature by delaying ac-
tion,' a commission spokesman said
yesterday after the question was
threshed out in an interdepart-
mental conference. On the other
hand, he pointed out that Virginia
can nullify the action of Congress
if that body should enact a bill
changing the proposed boundary
line in a manner unsatisfactory to
the State Legislature.
Bill Drafted in 1910.
The commission drafted the
Randolph bill in 1910 following some
years of dispute over the boundary
which now splits the National Air
port at Gravelly Point and the War
Departments Pentagon Building in
Arlington, Va. Both of those sites
would be established clearly in Vir-
ginia If the proposed new boundary
line is established.
At present the airport buildings
are in Virginia and most of the run
ways are in the District. In the case
Of the Pentagon Building, Secre-
tary Stimson's Offices on the north
side OF the building are in the Dis
trict. About three-fourths of the
building is on Virginia soil.
Col, Joseph D. Arthur, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner of the Dis
trict. attended the conference yes
terday. Representatives of the In
terror, Justice, War and Commerce
Departments also met with members
of the planning commission. Chair
man Randolph of the House District
Committee had written requesting
their views on the bill which he re-
introduced last week.
Independent Action.
Each department will take its own
independent action, but it was gen.
orally conceded that all would favor
passage of the Randolph bill.
Representative Nichols, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma led fight against the
bill in the last Congress, countering
with a proposal to fix the boundary
so that the airport would be entirely
in the District. The fight hinged on
the Virginia liquor laws, which per-
NIT sale of only light wines and beer
in the airport restaurant. Another
factor in the opposition was the
higher Virginia gasoline tax.
Planning commission officials said
that the Virginia authorities have
agreed to waive the State tax on the
high octane gasoline used by air.
planes, but have insisted on re-
tention of the tax on ordinary gaso-
line.
The present boundary line is the
mean high water mark as 1t existed
on the Virginia shore January "a,
1871, the date when the District of
Columbia was located by proclama-
ton of President George Washing
ton. The Supreme Court has de-
finitely fixed this line in three de-
cisions, the last in 1881, but the
exact line has never been defined
by any court decision.
ADA Plans Approved.
Before ending its monthly meet
ing, the Planning Commission late
yesterday approved plans for Alley
Dwelling Authority developments on
the old Shoemaker tract along
Georgia avenue near the District
line and in the Fort Totten area.
1t also agreed to cooperate with
Fairfax County authorities in work.
N'S SAS Pcpdiottolt III LIldI
section of Virginia to serve as a
guide for future public utilities.
John Nolen, jr., director of planning,
submitted estimates which placed
the population of the Washington
Metropolitan area at approximately
100000 and of the City of Wash
ington at 100000 The estimate was
of January l. Indicating the ex-
pansion of Federal employment, the
report showed that the number of
Government employees in the whole
area in relation to total population
is now l to Az, compared with / to
6 or 7 several years ago under nor
NAL conditions.
The population study has been
continuing for several months.
yesterdays figures showing little
changes from those presented at the
last session.