Evening star., 1951-06-11
Commissioners
Hear Van Ness
Closing Protest
Bureau of Standards
Wants Street Blocked
On Security Grounds
By Harriet Griffiths

I1lS ny tIlc SU11AIlAoo1OIIC1o ..
A. v. Astin, associate director
and security officer Of he bureau
said, however, he could not detail
at a public hearing "all the rea-
sons why we believe the street
should be closed" adding that "to
do that would provide blueprint
for sabotage"
But he said the bureau, as the
Federal governments major facil-
ity for general research and de-
velopment in physics, chemistry
engineering and mathematics,
plays an important role in the
Nations defense program.
Traffic BY Acc Cited.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue raised the point that traffic
flowed by the Atomic Energy
Commission on Constitution ave-
nue..
Mr.. Astin replied that the COM
mission is an Office operation "but
we are a laboratory" He said
that Van Ness street, unlike other
streets surrounding the bureau,
cuts through operations which
link across the street.
"All they want to close it for is
to use it for additional parking,
just as the State Department is
trying to do" charged Mrs. Leslie
B. Wright, who said she appeared
for the Forest Hills Citizens As
sociation and the Northwest Coun-
Gil of Citizens Associations.
Mrs. Wright referred to a pend
ing request by the State Depart
ment to close four blocks of public
streets in the area of the new
State building. The Van Ness
street proposal is in the form OF
legislation pending before Con-
greSS.
Mrs. Wright declared the tax
payers of the District are getting
exceedingly tired of the Federal
Government taking over our
property and not paying anything
for it."
National Security" Questioned.
James o. Tolbert, 3730 Can Ness
street NV, another opponent of
the move, declared that if he
were convinced that national Sc
curity were involved, II wouldn't
be here.
1T has become the custom of
bureaucrats an dother people who
want to put something over to
shout national security, wolf!
wolf!'" he said. If he were
saboteur. Mr.. Tolbert said, he
would not take Van Ness street,
but "go around the back streets
with my wire cutter"
j. B. Dickman. jr., president of
the North Cleveland Park Citizens
Association, asserted that when
the Government acquired part of
the land. it entered into a con-
tract providing that the street
would not be closed.
AS for security, he said, it would
simply be a question of tossing
a pineapple over" and that could
be done from other streets.
UNLESS they're going to patrol
every so feet with guards and SOL
diers, then they are not going to
prevent sabotage" he declared.
Keneipp Opposes 1t.
Traffic Director George E..
Keneipp also appeared against
the bill, pointing out that the
Commissioners have consistently
opposed closing the street in
previous year and that that oppo-
sition was just as valid today be-
cause Of the increase in traffic
using the street.
He said traffic counts show
about 1,575 vehicles use the street
section between am. and 6 pm.
and 2,2l0 during the "a hours.
He said much of the traffic is
going to the bureau, but at least
300 are using the street as a
connection between Connecticut
avenue and areas west of Reno
road.
The closing would cause motor
lists going to the shopping center
on Connecticut avenue to go a
half mile out of their way regard
less OF whether they used Tilden
or Albermarle street, he declared.
"Check-in" posts at the entrances
to the grounds. he won't on, prob
ably would create a traffic con-
gestion problem at both ends, par
ticularly during the morning rus
hour.
Mr.. Astin said that to provide
adequate insurance for the con-
tinuity of our research and devel-
opment program" the street
should be closed and placed under
the bureaus direct control. He
said this opinion is shared by De-
partment of Defense experts who
examined the security setup at the
request Of military agencies that
have big stakes in the bureaus
program.
Declines to Name Projects.
II am not at liberty to describe
the military projects on which we
are working, nor to evaluate their
specific Importance to our defense
program" he said. "To do so
would be an indiscreet handling of
classified military information"
He contended that for most
traffic purposes Van Ness street
plays very minor role, and it's
most important function would
better be served by Yuma street.
Van Ness street was closed dur
ing the war over the loud protests
Of District residents and reopened
after more than four years in
1916. The Commissioners have re-
ported adversely on legislation in
troduced both in 1941 and 1946
to close the street.
Aldo RescheduIed Tonight
verdi's Aida" Cancelled last
night due to weather conditions,
will be heard tonight at 500