Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Hillary Not in Little Rock Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 17:35:41 EST Message-ID: \SE A \HD Hillary airport? Not in Little Rock \SH Residents oppose renaming plan \BY Joyce Price \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Overwhelming public opposition killed a proposal by members of the Little Rock Airport Commission to rename the regional airport for Hillary Rodham Clinton. Little Rock Regional Airport, Adams Field - current name of the 66-year-old, 2,000-acre facility - honors Capt. George Geyer Adams, World War I veteran, pilot and city official who died in a 1937 accident. "I don't think the airport's name is going to be changed. The majority of people in Little Rock don't want it changed," said Seth Ward, a commission member opposed to the change. John Flake, an Airport Commission member who urged the name change, acknowledged it had no future. "I'm extremely sad," he said in a telephone interview. "It is behind us, and that's all I care to comment." Charles M. Taylor of Little Rock, who served with Mr. Adams in the Arkansas National Guard's 154th Observation Squadron, added, "All hell would break loose down here" if the name is changed. Lisa Caputo, a Clinton spokeswoman, said Mrs. Clinton had no comment on the airport controversy. Capt. Adams' daughter, Jayne Adams Withers, hopes the issue is dead. "Will the airport now be renamed whenever a person of political prominence comes along?" she asked in a letter sent yesterday to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "It has been Adams Field for 55 years. How tragic for the state of Arkansas that names of people, who were remembered for having served faithfully, can be wiped out by a politically motivated vote." Mrs. Withers was unaware the Little Rock Airport Commission was considering a name change until Thursday, when she was called by a friend who heard national radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh discussing it on the air. Mr. Flake suggested renaming "Adams Field" for Mrs. Clinton toward the end of a commission meeting Oct. 26. The two other commissioners present - Chairman Les Hollingsworth and Donna McLarty - agreed. The name change was proposed in recognition of Mrs. Clinton's more than 12 years of service as legal counsel for the commission. Although no formal action was taken, Mr. Flake said there was an understanding the proposal would be brought up later. That prospect ended this week when news of the plan appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. After the first report on Wednesday, commission members and the airport were besieged by callers opposed to the change, Mr. Ward said. An aide to James R. Rodgers, the airport manager, said she received between 150 and 175 calls. "All the calls have been negative," she said. "Everyone basically has said they don't want it." Pat Lynch, host on radio KARN in Little Rock, said the proposal was a "fairly lively issue" on his talk show. "I've received mostly negative calls," he added. "It is obviously not a very good idea, and I'm a flagrant Clinton admirer." Mr. Lynch said he expected the calls to be "entirely negative" but added a "couple" of callers felt it would be a nice way to honor Mrs. Clinton for efforts to improve educational standards and other work on behalf of children. "But one fellow pointed out that if they are going to rename the airport, they ought to open up the competition to other outstanding Arkansans, such as Fulbright and Footsie Britt," Mr. Lynch said. Democrat William Fulbright served in the Senate from 1945 to 1975. Mr. Lynch said Mr. Britt was the second-most-decorated veteran of World War II: "He lost a hand in combat, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and served as the state's lieutenant governor." A state history commission employee, who asked not to be identified, said: "I'm always a little hesitant to name things for people who are still alive. We've had things named for people here who've later been indicted, though I'm sure that wouldn't be the case with Mrs. Clinton." Even without the public uproar, Mr. Flake said it would have been difficult to change the name because commissioners were not unanimous. "When you give recognition, everyone should agree on it," he said. Mr. Ward said a commission member, whom he declined to identify, told him "Mrs. Clinton doesn't want her name used" this way. Mrs. Withers, who lives in Charlotte, N.C., said her father was 32 when he was killed at the airport, which was then 110 acres. After serving in the tank corps in World War I, Capt. Adams learned to fly. He became Little Rock mayor pro-tem, City Council member and Airport Commission member. Mrs. Withers said he died when a biplane propeller "flew off," spun around on a hanger floor and "then rose up and hit him in the chest." The accident occurred the day before Mrs. Withers' sixth birthday. "I was the only child," she said. "I never really knew my father. But I realized what death was because this tragedy destroyed my mother." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM