Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-28
Protests Rise
As 9 Air|ines
Accept Base
Suitable Facilities
At Andrews Seen
In 18 Months

The nine scheduled airlineS
serving Washington agreed late
yesterday to the proposal to shift
overflow civilian air traffic from
National Airport to Andrews Air
Force Base.
A few hours later, at a mass
meeting, residents of commune
ties near the base renewed their
protests against the change.
The carriers, now facing cur
tailment of their services unless
additional facilities can be found
soon, are willing to accept the
change when proper accommo-
dations can be provided for them
at the nearby Maryland base.
Spokesman for American,
United, TWA, Eastern, Capital,
Northwest. Colonial, National
and Allegheny airlines said they
will go along with the general
plan announced Tuesday by
Commerce Secretary Weeks and
the Air Force.
Opposition to the joint use Of
Andrews by civilian and military
planes was expressed by Mary
land Representatives Small, Re-
publican, and Fallon, Democrat,
as we'll as by residents of the
community.
Plea From Friendship.
Mr.. Fallon appeared at the
earlier session in the United
States Chamber of Commerce
Building to renew the plea of the
Maryland delegation in Congress
that the new Friendship Airport
at Baltimore be used as an adj
ditional facility for Washington.
Spokesman for residents of the
area argued that additional air
traffic at Andrews would create a
hazard and a noise nuisance,
which would depress property
values in the vicinity.
They urged that the Civil Aero
nautics Administration either &C
cept Friendship as an alternate
or carry out the original plan to
build a second airport at Burke,
Va.
At the night meeting, attended
by close to 200 persons in the
Forestville Elementary School,
Representative Small denounced
the choice of Andrews as uneco-
nomical. He said the few minutes
extra driving time from Friend
ship is not as important as the
$40 million estimated as the cost
of converting Andrews for COM
mercial use.
Sasscer Speaks.
Other speakers were State
Senator Raymond Fletcher.
County Commissioner Daniel Alb
bolt and former Representative
Lansdale G. Sasscer. A letter
from Maryland'S Republican
Senator Butler was read, prom
Using his Cooperation in every
way" with the protesting group.
Mr.. SaSscer said the shift
would create an intolerable Sit
uation for residents of the vi
cinity. He called the need for
second airport here a political
football.
Nov that Burke has booted
it across the Potomac, Maryland
has to catch it," he said. But
the place to catch it is Friend
ship, not Andrews"
Mr.. Abbott and Mr.. Fletcher
pledged their efforts on the
county and State levels to stop
this montrosity about to be
forced upon us"
CAA Administrator F. B. Lee
declared, at the afternoon ses-
sion, however, that Andrews
offers the safest, quickest and
most economical solution to the
congestion problem now plaguing
National.
The CAA took this view after
Congress refused to appropriate
additional funds for developing
the Burke site. The Burke loca-
ton was picked several years ago
when the Air Force refused to
consider a plan for sharing it's
landing facilities at Andrews.
Mr.. Lee estimated that the
existing runways at Andrews
might be used in the initial
phases of the traffic shift within
Is months, if work on civilian
terminal facilities can be begun
soon.
Details Yet Undecided.
Mr.. Lee told the meeting that,
while the Commerce Department
and the Air Force have reached
agreement in principle, the de-
tails remain to be worked out.
The speaker estimated that
additional facilities available at
Andrews should serve the needs
of Washington for at least the
next 10 or IL years, in view of
the fact that there is room on
the military site for expansion
On the other hand, Fred
Spinks. acting president of the
Forestville Citizens Association,
declared that the welfare and
safety of his community should
be more important than the saw
ing of a few million dollars by
abandonment of the Burke site.
Bomber Crash Cited.
John H. McAllister, represent
ing a group of residents near
Andrews. pointed out that, when
a bomber crashed near Morning
side several years ago and set a
house on fire, there was no water
to fight the fire.
Mayor II. w. Shugarts Of
Morningside said this occurred,
although a 24-inch Government
water main, supplying Andrews.
ran near the town limits. He
said the town had been refused
permission to set up hydrants
for fire protection. despite nu-
merous protests.
j. H. Carmichael, president Of