Evening star., 1955-06-30
Congress OKs
Bridge Funds,
EndingWranqIe
White House Gets
SIS Million Item
To Sturt Work
By GEORGE BEyERIDGE

| ny uEOn1E DLS SGAsADOE
The House and Senate appa-
lrently ended the long Potomac
River bridge controversy today
lby telling the District to build
the Constitution avenue span be-
lween Arlington Memorial bridge
land Roosevelt Memorial Island
Without a word of opposition,
the two bodies approved a $1.5
million item to begin bridge con-
struction as part of the city
budget for next year and sent
the appropriation to the White
House.
/ No White House opposition is
expected to the bridge authorize
Ition-President Eisenhower coulc
block it by a veto of the entire
appropriation measure. And, de-
spite heavy opposition from Fed
leral Park and Fine Arts Com
mission officials, the President
has taken no stand on the bridge
issue.
/ One Chance Of Shift
Only one scant chance for @
minor shift in the bridge loca-
ton is left.
/ Senator Case, Republican, oi
South Dakota said he would con-
slider a "quickie" bill to authorize
the bridge to pass over South
IIsland-the southern tip of con-
Itroversial Roosevelt Island-ii
the Theodore Roosevelt Associa-
ton indorses a crossing Of the
island.
Senator Case, when the bill
was approved by the Senate last
week. put through a provision
that the bridge could either be
built in "a the already-author-
Iized location between Memoria'
Bridge and Roosevelt Island OF
(2) across South Island If the
Roosevelt Association gave posi-
tive permission by August /.
| Yesterday, however, House ane
Senate conferees struck this pro.
lvision-limiting the construction
money specifically to the ares
south of South Island. And tha1
|action was affirmed by botf
bodies today.
! Afterwards, however, Senatol
Case told a reporter he would b'
willing to introduce a "quicki'
bill which ! think probably coule
Iget through before Congress
Iadjourns" to permit the CROSSING
of South Island. He said h,
would do this, however. only /
1.-THE Roosevelt Association-trus
tees of the island wilderness
took affirmative steps in thai
direction on their own initiative
/ I'm certainly not going t,
make another move myself unles
something is done by them" h,
declared.
Agreed to Join
The South Dakotan said tha
! Senator Stennis, Democrat, O
Mississippi had tentatively
Iagreed to join him in backing tn,
bill if future events warrant it
Senator Stennis headed an Ap.
preparations subcommittee which
handled the District budget ane
personally took a hand In trying
to iron out the bridge contro'
lversy.
House conferees. it was learned
insisted that the Case propose
flor a possible crossing of South
Island be eliminated yesterday
Their reason repeatedly was that
District officials had shown nc
strong favor toward the idea.
! Senator Case, meanwhile, said
he was mot weeping" about the
CONSTITUTION avenue location
which he brought about q year
ago as a compromise site wher
city and Federal officials were
Ideadlocked.
| The Senator also emphasized
THAT any new moves which might
be taken will not delay the
bridges construction.
| If nothing further Is done the
bridge will be built at the loca-
Ition Congress approved last year
III the Roosevelt Association
pushes for crossing OF South
Island the legislative change
would be made this month.
Il "The Roosevelt Association
NOV is faced with the stark facts
of the matter" he said. 'sIf they
!. want to face a realization Of
alternative possibilities and want
to make a move, that's up tt
them"