Evening star., 1953-07-07
Burke Project
NotAbandoned,
Hearing Told
Hi9h-LeveI PorIey
On Andrews Base Use
Slated Tomorrow
BY Harold B. ROGERS

Oy nofoio D. Rogers
Controversial Burke airport in
nearby Virginia has not been
abandoned. despite strong efforts
Of its opponents to force the
Government to sell the land al
ready acquired.
This was disclosed today as
a House Commerce subcommit-
tee heard testimony for and
against legislation which would
give property owners on the site
the opportunity to buy back
their real estate from the Gov
ernment.
Meantime. it was also learned
by the subcommittee. headed by
Representative Hinshaw, Repub-
lican, Of California, that nego-
tiations will be continued to-
morrow on a high-level basis on
proposed use of a part of An
drews Air Force Base as a sup
Elemental field to take the over
flow from contested Washington
National Airport.
No Final Contract.
The reported agreement in
principle" between the Com
merce Department and Air Force
on civilian use of Andrews has
not reached a final contract, it
was reported.
Testifying for his bill to force
the Government to sell back to
former owners land already ac-
quired at Burke. Representative
Broyhill claimed that the Burke
property should be turned back
to the tax rolls in Virginia and
owners should be allowed to re-
purchase their homes and land.
This position was supported
also by Judge Paul E. Brown, a
member of the Burke Airport
Relocation Committee and by
Harold K. Howe, committee
chairman.
The contention of these op-
ponents Of Burke Airport that
the project had been abandoned
by the Government was sharply
disputed.
A Definite Project.
Frederick B. Lee, Civil Aero
nautics administrator, told the
committee that the Burke Air
port. authorized by Congress in
1850, is still a definitely pend
ing project. and has not been
abandoned"
Although Congress has refused
to appropriate further funds for
the authorized field, Mr.. Lee said.
the new administration has not
abandoned the project by its
policy of deferring it's request
for more money.
He asked the subcommittee to
defer any action on the Broyhill
bill pending attempts by the
CAA to obtain use of Andrews
Field for civil air transport.
IF Andrews cannot be OBJ
tained," Mr.. Lee said. then the
proper course will be 70 continue
the present status of Burke until
some final solution to the prob
lem can be reached"
Another Meeting Tomorrow.
Other witnesses told the SUBJ
committee that the Andrews ne
gotiations were actively under
way and announced another
meeting tomorrow on high-level
basis.
Bradley D. Nash, Air Force
deputy assistant for civil avia-
tion, questioned sharply by Mr..
Hinshaw and other committee
members, insisted that I'VE are
eager to settle this question"
He made no predictions. however.
as to how soon an agreement
could be reached.
Several details over which
there Is a difference of opinion
still remain to be resolved. he
said.
"Since there is to date no real
agreement between the Air Force
and CAA on the use of Andrews
Air Force Base" he said, "it is
not considered advisable to dis
pose of the land at Burke, Va.
This land could accommodate
the Washington alternate civil
airport should the negotiations
for Andrews Air Force Base fail
to materialize."
Asked About Expansion.
1t. Col. Sam r. Riddle Of the
Air Force Office of Directorate
of Operations. was asked to esti-
mate whether Andrews could. by
expansion, serve as a permanent
solution to the problem.
He said only two runways
could be accommodated, because
third one would "oversaturate
the air" with planes. He insisted
there was a limit to the number
of movements in and out of any
air base.
Chairman Hinshaw. a long,
time advocate of the use of An
drews. criticized the Air Force
for its repeated opposition to
civilian use of the military base.
Gen. Milton Arnold of the Air
Transport Association of Amer
lea expressed the determined
opposition" to the Broyhill bill.
He expressed hope that the
negotiations for the use Of An
drews for transport planes would
be worked out.
He announced that three air.
line representatives from East
ern, American, and Capital Air.
lines will attend a conference at
2 pm. tomorrow with the Air
Force and the CAA on the "over-
all problem" involved In the use
of Andrews.