Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-24
FUND FOR AERO MEET
Aviation Committee Hopes
Congress Will Help.
MAY MAKE APPROPRIATION
Norfolk and Baltimore Actively
Aiding Washington.
MAYOR MAHO0L'S BRISK TALK
Says 'to Get the Meet We Must Go
After It"-Interest
Increasing.

One CT the hopes expressed by the
Washington Aero Club for having the
| next aviation carnival here is an appro-
priation by Congress to help swell the
guarantee fund. 1t was stated by Charles
]. Bell, one of the Washington repre-
sentatives at the Curtiss luncheon, that
DR.. Zahm. secretary of the Aero Club
and member Of the special committee
on securing the meet for Washington,
had asked the cooperation of Norfolk
in the matter. ]. A. Hall, the secretary of
the Norfolk Board of Trade, said he
had not yet received such notification,
but that as soon as the matter was
placed before them the Norfolk BUSH
ness men were prepared to act.
Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News
and Old Point are all much interested
| In seeing the meet come to Washington,
owing to the prospect of a water flight
to Norfolk. There is great deal of
| money In that section. and the local men
say they are willing to contribute large
ly to secure the carnival. In the mean
time Baltimore is very active and prom
Uses TO work unremittingly for the meet.
Mayor Mahool's Enthusiasm.
LAS matter of fact" Mayor Mahool
says, I'VE have only begun, and while
the prospect now Is rosy, we must keep
moving and not only retain our present
advantage over other cities, but increase
It, To get the meet we must go after
it, and keep after it, and our labors to
date will be lost II we permit our ardor
to flag.
From the sentiment generally express
ed by members of the club in New York,
l am profoundly encouraged and hopeful
Each man appeared to be impressed with
the energy and sincerity of Baltimore
and to appreciate that we are thoroughly
IN earnest an our demand for the meet
Or course, none was prepared actually to
commit himself in favor Of any particu-
lar city, especially members Of the execu-
tive committee, and 1 can readily under
stand their reluctance to take a positive
position at this point, but all gave us the
utmost encouragement, and even init
mated that they would work for Bati-
more and Washington"
Similar reports were made by others of
the party. and the feeling prevailed that
a vast amount of good had been accom-
plished by the visit to Gotham.
Growth of Interest.
Still further evidence of the rapid
growth of interest In Baltimore in avia-
ton has also been demonstrated in the
arrangement of longdistance balloon trips
from Baltimore, and Mr.. Hillery Beachey
is preparing flights for enthusiasts in this
section. Mr.. Beachey's first trip of the
KIND made several days ago, was an UNI
qualified success and balloon flights are
expected to become almost as popular as
| trolley rides or automobile jaunts.
1T IS understood that resolution will
be introduced, in the council asking for an
appropriation to help swell the fund to
| advertise Baltimore and while the city
has no power to SO appropriate money if
the council pass favorably upon the meas
sure an enabling act will be introduced in
the legislature giving the city the power.
AS to the congressional appropriation,
it is said by members of the Aero Club
that aside from the esirability of get
ting the financial help from Congress,
such action on the part of the government
would give the meet an official standing
in the view of foreigners which it would
not otherwise have
Treat for Congress.
1t is planned to have the carnival in
Washington while Congress is in session,
and the members OF the national legsa-
ture are not slow at voting themselves
a treat when there is reasonable chance
to do so. 1t is pointed out that COM
paratively small appropriation added to
the money that could be raised in Ralti-
more, Norfolk and Washington would
swell the total fund that the meet
would be attractive in point of prize
money to aviators all over the world. and
would give the War and Navy Depart-
ments chance to see all the types of
machines in existence and watch them
in action better than several times that
amount of money appropriated directly to
aid aviation In the two branches of the
service.
From this point of view a congress
sional appropriation would be an advan-
tageous business investment. Congress-
men who could have little or no hope
of securing the meet for their home towns
would be willing, it Is believed, to vote
money in aid of a big international meet
in Washington and Herbert Parsons and
others of the New York delegation have
said frankly that they favor Washington
before New York for the meet and will
be willing to do anything in reason to
see it come here.