Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-12
Statue otLibsriy $4,000
Prize Is q StickIer,
International Aeronauiic Fed
eraiion Cannot Decide
To Whom II Belongs and Refers
Matter Back 10 America.

Paris, Jan. I1.-No more interesting
and apparently complicated question
has ever come up before the Interna-
tional Aeronautic Federation than that
which was discussed at a special meet
ing held here Tuesday, relating to the
award of the Ryan $4,000 Statue of
Liberty prize at the Belmont Park
meeting in October to the late John b.
Moisant. Without passing upon the
question of the winner of this prize
the Federation adopted a resolution
that the changes made in the regula-
tions governing th:. contest did not
conform with Article 50 of the beylaws
If the international Federation. which
provides that no changes can be made
in the rules of a contest after their
publication. unless ratified by the
sports committee. The whole matter
therefore has been referred back to
the Aero Club of America for New
classification and results
The actual effect which the Fedora
tons action will have on the con,
troversy is not entirely clear. The.
English delegates assert that it means
The disqualification of Moisant. but the
American delegates insist that it mere
~ signifies the rc-opening of the con-
rovcrSy.
The change in the regulations con-
sisted of the abandonment of the con-
lition that each contestant must have
flown for one hour previous to the
actual flight to the Statue of Liberty
and return.
The American delegates were not
able Tuesday to prove that this change
vas ratified by the sports committee
Hence the Federation has upheld
Whites protest on that point. 1t is
admitted that Moisant did not fly for
one hour, as prescribed by the original
regulations. and the representatives of
the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain
to which Grahame- White submitted
his original protest claim that Moisant
was on this account barred as the win
ne:.
1t is also pointed out by the American
delegates that as the resolution remands
the whole question to the Aero Club OF
America for reconsideration and a new
finding, and objection must be lodged
with that association. after which an APP
peal may be made to the International
Aeronautic Federation. They have hope
that the reopening of the case will reveal
evidence that the sports committee rat
flied the change, and expressed the opin-
ion that sports committee" might mean
either the aviation committee of the
meeting or the committee of the Aero
club The Swiss delegates voted with the
Americans
The Federation decided that it had no
authority to consider the protest made
by the Lower Rhine Aeronautic Associa-
ton against the award of the Interna-
tional Balloon trophy to Allen r. Haw-
ley and Augustus Post, the American
contestants, on the ground that the pro-
test should be first lodged with he Aero
Club of America.
The conditions governing the contest
for the Gordon Bennett International
Aviation cup were amended so that
hereafter the distance will be $50 kilo-
meters instead of 100, with the further
specification that the contest must be-
held in an aerodrome.
The Federation rejected the American
proposal that aerOplanes must be CON
structed in the country under which they
are entered, ruling that this question
must first be submitted to a committee.
1t had been expected that the Swiss Aero
balloon but no protest was
forthcoming, merely suggestion with
reference to future international contests.