Evening star., 1951-06-19
Burke Resident,
Map New Fight
On Airport Plan
Attack to Center
On Extravaganza
By Government

BY Government
An attack on the Federal Gov
ernment's proposed new airport
at Burke as an extravaganza was
formulated last night at meet
ing sponsored by the Burke Com
munities Civic Association.
More than 100 Fairfax County
citizens crowded the Burke fire.
house to hear residents Of the
4,500-acre site and other areas
protest the decision OF Commerce
Secretary Sawyer to locate the
new airport at. Burke.
The group appointed william
P. Bird chairman and Paul
Kincheloe vice chairman OF a
committee to carry on the fight
and also decided to send repre-
sentatives to a meeting of the
Fairfax, County Federation of
Citizens Associations, set for 8 80
pm. Thursday in Annandale
School.
The committee will be ap-
pointed by officers of the Burke
association and Fairfax County
Circuit Court Judge Paul E.
Brown, whose Birthstone. Hill
estate lies within the boundaries
OF the proposed airport.
To Meet With Planners.
Meanwhile, Civil Aeronautics
Administration spokesman said
representatives of that agency
were preparing to meet with the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission on Friday to re-
port on the site.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed that
Justice Department appraisers are
getting ready to start work imme-
diately setting values on the land.
When the appraisers are finished,
offers will be made to the indiv-
ual property owners. If they do
not agree to the price, the cases
will go to a condemnation jury.
Friendship Airport Suggested.
Judge Brown urged last night
that an attempt be made to en-
list the aid Of newsmen. such
as David Lawrence and Earl
Goodwin. "in carrying the story
Of this waste and extrava-
gance to people all over the coun-
try" The judge recommended that
the protests stress the availability
Of Baltimore's new Friendship Air
port.
Mr.. Bird, vice president Of
the Burke association, asserted
that the present estimate of the
cost of the Burke installation, $14I
million, would approach $50 mil
lion before completion, based on
the cost Of National and Friend
ship airports. Mr.. Bird suggested
that each member of the associa-
ton write to Virginia members of
Congress and other Government
officials to urge that the Burke
project be abandoned.
The group agreed to write to
Representative Smith, Democrat,
Of Virginia, calling his atten-
tion to an apparent failure
OF the Commerce Department toI
consult with the Fairfax County
Board OF Supervisors before select
ing the site. Mr.. Smith had spon-
sored an amendment to the air.
port bill requiring that this be /
done.
Questions Legality.
1t. Col Arthur Cornelson said
1t seemed clear that Commerce
Department representatives had
notified the supervisors in two
secret meetings that Burke was
one Of the locations being consid-
cred. He questioned whether this
constituted the consultation re-
ouired in the law setting up pro-
cedure for acquisition of site.
Col. Cornelson also said the new
airport Would be obsolete before
1t opened because of a new tech
nique involving the use of hell
copters to transport passengers
from the centers of cities to out
lying airports. Il
Judge Brown estimated the drive
from Friendship to downtown
Washington at 35 minutes and
said the Burke airport planners
expect that it will take 25 minutes
to drive from Burke to Washing
ton.
"The only advantage Burke
would have over Friendship. the
judge said, "is that you'd have =,
time for another cocktail"
Opposed by Rotary Club.
Judge Brown reported that the
Rotary Club of the town of Fair
fax went on record last night as
vigorously opposed to an airport
anywhere in the county.
The Fairfax Town Council and
the Annandale Businessmen's As
sociation also discussed the prof.
ect but took no formal action.
Judge Brown said the Govern
ment already owns $4,000 acres
of tax-exempt land in the county
and said the Burke area acquisi-
ton would deprive Fairfax Of
much needed tax money. {
William j. Barber of the Spring
field -Franconia- -Oakwood Citizens