Evening star., 1947-11-20
Representative Smith
Now Fayors Hospital
On Nevius Property
BY George Beveridee !

Representative Smith, Demo-
crat, of Virginia, who blocked
location of the proposed veter-
ans hospital on the Nevius tract
in Arlington, has agreed to re-
verse his stand and ask Congress
to reconsider the matter, The
Star learned today.
The action grew out of meeting
last night between Mr.. Smith and
the Arlington County Board.
County Manager A. r. Lundberg
said the board agreed at the meet
ing on "a course of action" with
reference to use of the tract. He
refused to disclose what the action
was, but said it would be presented
and passed" in a resolution at
board meeting at am. Saturday.
Another county official, however,
who asked that his name be with
held, revealed that the groups reso-
lution would ask Mr.. Smith to re-
quest the House Appropriations
Committee to reopen hearings on
his move, which forbade the Vet
erans' Administration to build its
proposed $4,000, 900 hospital on the
controversial tract.
Smith Gives Assurance.
Mr.. Smith told a reporter he had
assured the board he would go along
with it's wishes. He refused to dis
cuss the matter further.
The county official added that the
board last year asked Mr.. Smith to
block acquisition of the Nevius prop
erty by the Government in the hope
it could be used for a commercial
project that would bring consider
able revenues to the county.
When it was evident that the Gov
ernment would retain the land, the
county official said, Arlington au-
thorities agreed that location OF the
hospital there would bring certain
amount Of revenue to the county.
Therefore, he said, the county board
Withdrew its oppositin to the hos
pital location at recent meeting.
Mr.. Smith made his move during
the final sessions of Congress last
July in a complaint to the House
Appropriations Committee that the
Nevius tract was too expensive Tor
a hospital location.
His complaint was authorized IN
rider to the appropriations Dill
which allowed members of Congress
to object to hospital locations chosen
hrinf hearings
the House group upheld the Vir-
ginia legislator and told Veterans
Administrator Bradley the land
could not be used as hospital site.
No Other Plans for Tract.
The Government gotstitle to the
Nevius land through condemnation
proceedings. No other plans for use
Of the tract, at the intersection OF
Lee boulevard and Arlington Ridge
road have been announced. The
Government already has handed
over about $850,000 for the land.
Hearings will be held next month
at the District Court in Alexandria
to determine final price OF the land.
The change in county plans was
understood. to have been made after
present owners Of the land,said they
did not want 1t back, ahd received
about 100000 of the money turned
over by the Government. Princi-
pal owner is Avon NJ Nevius, retired
vice president of Riggs National
Bank.
Veterans Administration officials,
meanwhile, have held up searches
for other hospital sites in this area
in the hope that Congress would
give the green light to use of the
Arlington land. VI
Spokesman at VA said the con-
gressional ban last summer set the
agency back at least a year in its
plans to get a veterans hospital
for the Washington area.
Architects drawings. and plans
for the modern type 750-bed hospital
already had been finished for its
location on the Nevius tract. The
plans, were drawn carefully so as
not to detract from beauty OF the
Lincoln Memorial-which is located
across the Potomac from the Nevius