The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-31
AERONAU les
0CCUP |E D
HOUSE
Appropriation of Extra Five
Hundred Thousand for
Experiments

Washington. Jan. 30-Aeronautics
occupied must attention IN the house
otday In connection with the conSidera-
ton OF the army appropriation bill
The advisability for army balloons
was first considered.
The question was discussed by Mr..
Macon. who drew from Mr.. Hull the
statement that balloons had not here
tofore been specifically provided for
and the Arkansan at once made a
point Of order against the provision,
The burden of the arguments in
support Of the balloon provision was
that balloons had now become apart
Of an efficient army. while some of
the opponents maintained that bal
looms were not used in the Russo
Japanese war, the Spanish-American
war and the Boer war. Mr.. Macon
insisted that balloons had played no
considerable part In warfare. His
statement was controverted by MI.
Cochran, who said that a balloon per-
formed a good part In the war between
France and ermany when NJ. Gam
BETA escaped from Paris by such
means and organized the national de-
fense.
Mr.. Mann OF Illinois, in fayorng the
bill, pointed to the sinking OF the Re-
public and said that no one could have
cited. ten days ago, any case wlere
wireless telegraphy had saved huna-
reds of lives through ship wreck.
The time for citing the case in ref
erence TO balloons he said. will
come after they have saved hundreds
of millions of dollars and may be
hundreds OF thousands of lives and
possibly great deal more"
Mr Macon was at last induced to
withdraw his point of order on a
statement by Mr. Capron of Rnot 6
Island, that balloons had been used
with good results during the Civil
war, but It's renewal by Mr.. Sherle,
again clouded the situation.
In an elaborate opinion by Mr.. Per.
kins, who was In the chair, the point
of order was overruled and the work
OF experimenting with balloons by
the government accordingly will go
on. After the ruling. the appropriation
was increased from $3.50. 900 to $780,
600, which Mr.. Hull admitted as sub.
ject TO rapid fire questioning was
largely to be used for experiments
Mr.. Hull deemed 1t of the utmost
Importance that this government
should take the lead In military aero.
nautics. By vote of rs TO SIS the
amendment was adopted. the announc.
ing being greeted with applause. Ex.
cept with respect to the appropriation
Tor aeronautical experiments. the bill
was not amended In any particular.
BY voting an appropriation of $500.
OUO over the amount originally appro.
priated. the house today made liberal
provision for further experiments py
the army In the use of balloons and
airshiPs The subject gave rise to a
spirited debate which continued most
OF the session. The opponents Of tho
proposition tried TO deIeat II bv all
sorts OF parliamentary points. but the
chair overruled these and paved the
way for Incorporating the provision
In the army appropriation bill
Previously 10 taking up the army
Dill, tho consideration OF which was
no completed. the house passed a
number of miscellaneous bills.
n 4.4G p. m. the house adjourned
un tomorrow When the body VIII
meet in special session 20 hear eul.
ogles on the nfe OF Representative
Powers of Maine, who died during the
recess.