New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-28
TAFT TALKS OF FLYING.
Predicts That Fat Man May
Some Time Go Aloft.
IMPORTANCE OF AVIATION
President Tells Aeronautical So
ciety Possibilities of New Sci
ence Battle Imagination.

ence Battle Imagination.
President Taft dropped in upon the first
annual dinner Of the Aeronautical Society
az the Hotel Astor last night and found
the largest and most representative gather
ing OF men ever assembled in America 70
discuss seronsutics from widely divergent
points OF view The large ballroom was
hung with thirty-fve model dirigibles. aero
planes and spherical balloons. Above each
Of the seventy-hve tables green and red
toy gas bags foated, until. 70 please the
women who filed the boxes. these were
sent aloft for them 70 capturs-ir they
could
President Taft arrived at Io:46, only one
minute behind his schedule. and Rear Ad-
niral Robert E. Peary Immediately stopped
speaking TO join in the enthusiastic vel
come America was sung, and then Hud-
son Maxim. president Of the society. intro
duced the President as the foremost man
OF the foremost country of the world, which
apparently was the sentiment OF all pres
ent. Judging by the renewed outburst.
Gentlemen OF the Aeronautical Society
and other high flyers" began the Presi-
dent. my experience during the last forty
eight hours makes me think that YOU don't
do anything IN New York but have big
dinners
I agree that there is no time in q
man S life when he (. so willing 70 subscribe
10 any extreme view advocated BY his host
as when he is seated with Dig cigar after
q good dinner I suppose you have all
these dinners through desire to convince
people Of extreme views.
But you don't have 10 exert much in
4uence 70 convince any one interested IN
RI. progress. material and spiritual. Of
this world Of the Importance OF prornot-
ing aerial navigation.
There was a time in ny lfs-a good
many years ago-when I was q lawyer
and a Judge. Since that time have
ceased to be both. But have keen rec
election Of years Of study Of the patent
Law. In the patent Law they have what
they call pioneer invention, and the sub
sidiary invention and the still smaller i'm
provernent, where II is en- even chance
whether you will get a patent or not
Pioneer invention generally strikes the lay
man as a rather rough ma chine. some
thing that does not indicate the great
future OF It's improvement as subsequently
developed But the importance OF the
pioneer rachins grows on one after study
ing the history Of invention
Now you have The pioneer invention in
aerial navigation and what there is IN the
future no man can foretel. Everything
else that follows is an Improvement For
the present flying machine for the trans
rortation OF manv PERSONS the size Of the
Z
imagination
But even in the decades that remain
for Us who are here YOU viii see improve
ments SO great that even those loaded
with avoirdupois may hope 70 be lifted up.
The discoveries even of the present day
are ~ sufficient Importance 70 be tested
hv the military and naval authorities Of
all nations
They prove that the fying machine Is
OF the utmost practical use for observa-
ton. for scouting, for obtaining accurate
| Information Of the Whereabouts Of the foe.
I an very glad that Mr.. Hearst has made
All offer TO stimulate aeronautics.
cot course, there is connected with this
ART the loss Of human lives that have
been sacrificed for the purpose Of helping
or the human race. They show forth the
zeal and the courage that ara ongss ed in
improving this art. and those Deaths cour
ageous as they are are an earnest Of
what the race viii accomplish m the de
velopment Of this wonderful new science.
On behalf Of the Southwestern Aeronauti-
cal Association Of Fort Worth. Tex, the
President received st the close of his
speech an engraved announcement that he
was honorary member No l therein
r feel complimented.' said tns Preai-
dem. and will consider this - he 3 card
Of admission 20 the next aerial machine IN
which l can have access.
The Aeronsuttcsl Society presented VII
tam Randolph Hearst with gold medal.
Of which copper miniatures we're distrih-
uted 70 all the guests. IN recognition Of his
service ii the cause OF aeronautical science
through his offer Of 81 0"o for . transcon-
tinental fight.
Those at the speakers table we're car
tain ". [ Chambers. T. S y. Arthur
brisbane. Or. John Henry NacCracken.
James II Beck. Gutzon L. NJ. Bcrglum'
CONGRESSMAN John J. Fitzgerald. BriSadier
General James Allen. Justice John ". Gof.
General Benjamin J.. Tracy. Admiral Rob
ert Z. Peary. Z. s -. William Randolph
Hearst. Hudson Maxim, Lee S. Burridge'
DR.. Charles Doolittle Walcott. DR.. Willis
Luther Moore, Professor ". F. Turnbull'
Thomas A Hill Timothy l. Woodruff
Nathan Straus Pierre S. gu Pont Major
\ w. Butt. L. : A. Colonel John Jacob
teror Hiram Percy Maxim Of Connect
cu.. 0r. ]. * Funk and Edward j.
Wheeler
There we're six member Of the On Pont
de Nemours family present. also William
+ Hammer. James NJ. Beck, Judge =. 4.
Toulr1in. Plinv W Williamson, z. La Rus
ZONES. A w Lawson, wilbur r. Kimoall.
Hugo G. Gibson. Walter Wellman, LOUIS
p Adams and Lee u. De Forest