Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-13

names and addresses. All
letters are subject to conden-
Sdtion.
the most congested route in
and out Of Washington. My
driving time from Chantilly
was increased by the many
lights. even though driving
conditions were ideal and I
was not held up by the con-
struction at Seven Corners.
I challenge any honest man
to make these trips with me
and prove any error in the
foregoing figures.
I believe that a responsible
official of our Fairfax County
governing body should get
the facts straight, especially
when testifying before a
committee of Congress.
r. l.. Bowman
-
The decision of the House
to authorize funds for con-
struction of an airport at
Burke. Va. marks another
case in which the interest of
the people is subordinated to
that of private commercial
interests.
1t matters not to the au-
gust gentlemen Of our Con-
gress that the wishes of a
small community some 20
miles from Washington (by
raiD are ignored, and CLOSED
over as unimportant. 1t mat
tiers not that the building of
this airport is not a matter
Of vital interest to the Ma
ton, in spite Of the cutlery
about the dangers inherent
in the present Washington
Airport. It matters not that
no military or naval planes
will use this new airport if
it is built. It does not even
matter that Federal funds in
an unspecified amount (the
House action will make avail
able Sl2.5 million to start
construction are to be used
to build this costly project
for purely private use and
profit. 1t does not matter
that less than 10 per cent of
the people living in Washing
ton will use it.
l believe that this airport
should be built by private
individuals. with private
funds, and not the taxpayers
money. since there is no pub
lie benefit to be derived from
it. 1t will be operated purely
for profit. And this factor
makes for a deeper injustice
to the people Of Burke, who
could keep out a private cor
poration, but are powerless
against the United States
Government. Which all
points up the question as to
why the Government should
be like that. Why?
william p. Thomas, Jr.
Please, may I suggest Il
possible solution to the con-
troversy in the matter of air.
fields to service Washington.
D. c.
First: None Of the sug-
gested sites is suitable UNI
less a complete system Of
highways is built. As of to-
day, 1t takes longer to travel
from the center of almost
any large city to the airport
than IL does to fly to almost
any other large city within
a radius of 500 miles. and un-
less a system of highways is
built, looking toward the flu
ture. in case Of emergency
there is no sense in having
an airport approach blocked
up with miles of traffic.
Second: Boiling Field and
National Airport are on OPP
posite sides of the Potomac
River. The only part Of the
river that is used is a chan
mel about 800 feet wide. 1t
would be more convenient
now and to future genera
tions TO build an overhead
airheld over the river. con-
Meeting the two present air
fields. with a high overhead
over the channel, sloping to
the present sites.
Third: II the river is
sacred and cannot be used,
there is an immense amount
Of air space going to waste
all around the Pentagon
Building, as anyone can sec
by the miles of parked cars.
My suggestion is to build
seven or eight story parking
buildings adjacent TO the
Pentagon, similar to the
Hecht Co. at Seven Corners,
built strong enough to pro-
vide an airfield runway over
the tops Of the parking build
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