Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-02
AERO CLUB ACTIVE
Plans for International Meet
to Be Outlined.
IN RESPONSE TO REQUEST
Information Required by President
of Aero Club of America-Local
Aviation Field.
IN RESPONSE TO REQUEST

A special meeting of the Aero Club site
committee will be held at the office OF
Charles j. Bell. the chairman. within
few days to prepare letter that has been
requested by President CORTLAND Field
Bishop of the Aero Club of America reia-
tive to the preparations that Washington
has made for the international aviation
meet here.
Mr.. Bishop will sail for Europe April
II and will submit to the meeting of the
international federation in Paris ten days
later statement of the bids that have
been made for the meet by various Amer
lean cities.
1t will be recalled that Washington and
Baltimore working together, have SUD-
scribed roughly 100000 for the meet.
Washington has raised her 100000, and
Baltimore, which was assigned an eaua,
amount has raised the most of II. ana
will be in line to put up the balance, ana
some more, If there is definite state
rnent that the meet is coming to WASH
ington.
Scope of the Inquiry.
Mr.. Rishop has asked about the amount
it will cost and what Washington IS
willing to spend in fixing up college
Park. This is a matter that has never
been closely figured out. but it will be
possible to give him tolerably close fig
ures as to the cost of clearing the re-
mainder of the field and for erecting
grandstands, clubhouse and aeroplane
houses. ,
The point about which the international
Federation is most anxious. however, Is
the amount that will be devoted to prizes
The European ayiators Will, or course,
demand large prizes 10 induce theiI 70
cross the ocean and compete in the meet.
The mere glory of winning the inter-
national speed contest will not appeal
to them SO much as will the possibility
of making a lot of money in prizes ana
exhibitions.
Attitude of the Wrights.
This raises another much-discussed
point, also, and that is the attitude that
the Wright brothers will take toward the
foreign ayiators They have already
said that they would not attempt to
interfere with the international cup race.
but the foreign aviators will not come
to America for that alone. 1t is
question whether they will come for the
international meet alone. They have
visions of giving exhibitions in America
and capturing a lot of easy money. as
did Louis Paulhan. It Is true that
Paulhan has gone back to France srunl-
bling that he was badly treated in this
country. but, at the same time, he made
more money here than he could have
maue in the same time in Europe.
There have been negotiations Tor some
time between the Aero Club of America
and the Wrights to know in what way
they will be willing to guarantee the eX-
hibition freedom from law suits. The
Wrights are going to New York this week
to meet the directors of their million
dollar company and decide what attitude
they will take toward the foreign aviators
in general
Opposed to Competition.
Now that the Wrights have gone into
the exhibition business themselves 1t is
regarded as certain that they, will not
want any of the foreigners to make eX-
hibition flights here. even if they decide
to keen hands off the meet itself 1t Is
possible. however, that if they agree to
this that the meet can be made attractive
enough to induce the foreigners to come
here There was only 15o,oOo francs put
up in prizes at Rheims and 1t mas peeh
pretty well settled that there will be as
many dollars in prizes for the American
meet
This prediction is based on the size of
the gate receipts at the meetings ALREADY
held. There was a surplus of Sbo'oOO aItef
and the Los Angeles met was ciedlted
with taking in 100000. This would De
enough to warrant large prizes and pay
ing all the expenses of fixing up the
grounds. without touching the guarantee
fund that has been subscribed here.
But much depends on the attitude or
the Wrights. If it is decided at the Paris
meeting that ii is not advisable to hoid
the meet in America at all, it can be
held in France under clause OF the
,aaH Ii
largely to meet this contingency that Mr..
Bishop is going abroad.
Aviation Field Desired.
While there is decided uncertainty
whether the International meet VIII be
held here at ALL the Washington Aero
Club is anxious to secure an aviation
field here for the development of local
machines, and to this end tentative in
ulliries have been made of the superin-
tendent of public buildings and grounds
to see If part of Potomac Park cannot
be secured for the purpose.
1t is known that President Taft is much
interested in the development of aviation,
and he has said. that he hoped not only
to see the International meet come to
Washington. but that he would like to
see permanent aviation held mere. Inc
Aero Club is also interested. but the in
terest may be said to be largely academ-
ic since out of the nine man-carryinS
machines that are being built in Wash
ington only one of them. glider. is
owned by member of the Aero Club.
The other members of the CLUB have SO
far confined themselves largely to the
social trimmings Of the sport.
Potomac Park was considered for the
aviation meet but wis discarded in favor
of College Park. There is enough ground
in Potomac Park. however, for a good
testing field. The peninsula at the lower
end of the park below the railway bridge
contains 325 acres.
improvements in Prospect.