Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-30
Senate Fight
Over
Potomac Bridge
BY DON S. WARREN

cuOI Us 70 UuIiu n IlcW span over
the Potomac River at Constitu.
ton avenue is expected to be
written early this week in the
Senate.
The pending business is the
recommendation Of a majority
of the Senate District Commit
tee for the construction of q
four-lane tunnel instead of a
six-lane fixed span bridge urged
by District highway officials and
the Federal Public Roads Adj
miniStration and others.
A sharp fight is expected to
develop on the Senate floor.
Senator Bible, Democrat Of
Nevada, head of the fiscal SUBJ
committee in charge of the bill.
said last night he never felt
more sure that he was right in
his conclusion that "a six-lane
bridge is the answer to the prob
lem.
1.-THE testimony Of responsible
officials" he recalled. was that
the four-lane tunnel would be
choked to capacity the day it
was opened"
Expense and Esthetics
Under the pending bill the
entire cost of the tunnel project
would be billed to the Interior
Department. But Senator Bible
and others are wondering IL
there might not be some last
minute change to lay some Of
the cost against District tax
payers.
Senator Bible made the point
also that a six-lane fixed span
bridge would cost about $15.5
million for the least expensive
type of construction or about
$40 million less than for q four-
lane tunnel. He said he was not
convinced that the interests Of
the esthetics were worth that
much more.
Arlington Memorial Bridge:
Senator Bible said. lis a thing
of beauty. Why could not an
additional bridge be an added
beauty to the National Capital?"
The tunnel-bridge may be laid
aside temporarily. however. for
Senate consideration of the ma
tional defense appropriation bill
and maybe some other matters.
So, it may be Tuesday or
Wednesday before the Senate
pronotnceS Judgment on the
bridge-tunnel battle.
House hearings resume
Wednesday on proposals for
more strict control of Washing
tons taxicab operations.
Hopeful About Burke Airport
In addition. special Senate
Appropriations subcommittee il
hoping for a meeting some day
this week to decide whether TO
recommend resumption Of the
stalled project for a second
Washington airport at Burke.
Va. Senator Holland, Democrat
of Florida, chairman of the spe-.
cial group, tried twice last week
to get his group together but
work on national appropriation
bills interviewed. He said yester-
day he was hopeful a final rec
ommendation could be adopted
before the end of this week.
The Holland subcommittee
held hearings six months ago
but as yet has failed to come up
with any recommendation. Re-
ports are this five-member group
is split as to what should be done
to give up the Burke project.
go ahead with it or tell WASH
ington to make trial use of the
Friendship International Air.
port near Baltimore, or possibly
pick another site in Virginia.
Another argumentative issue
the terms of a liberalized sys-
tenn for retirement of Washing
ton police and flremen-SeemS
headed for a decision this week.
Chairman Bible of the Senate
District Fiscal Subcommittee has
scheduled a meeting of his group
for tomorrow for hoped-for final,
action.
Hearing Tomorrow on Stadium
The Bible subcommittee hasl
scheduled a hearing for 2 pm.I
tomorrow on the House-passedl
bill authorizing a Sc millions
so. 000-rear stadium.
At the Monday hearing by the,
Bible subcommittee it also will
consider a requested realty tax
for the new head!
quarters building of B'nai Birth.
on Rhode Island avenue near
Seventeenth street NV. This
subject also will come up at a.
hearing scheduled for Tuesday,
at 1890 am. before the FISCAL
Subcommittee of the House Dis
trict Committee.
The House subcommittee
headed by Representative Smith,
Democrat of Virginia. also will
hold a hearing on proposals for
exempting from District income
taxes persons appointed by the:
President for stated terms and
subject to confirmation by the
Senate. not now tax-exempt.
School Borrowing on List
The list of unfinished businessl
also includes the proposals Of
school officials for a $40 millionl
loan or borrowing program to-
push ahead with the Districts
tagging school construction pro-
gram.
The Education and Welfare
Subcommittee of the Senate Dis
trict Committee, headed by Sem,
ator Morse, Democrat of Oregon,
has been awaiting a report from
the District Commissioners. This