Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-10-31

representative in this country OF the IN
ternational body, might we'll take up the
matter before TIL. ttll requirements for
the 1919 contest ar. decided nuon
Aviation IN America. as we have said
before. is All q low ehh. Virtually the only
dying which is done IL by the exhibition
myers ard BY the few army and navy off,
GERS who have been allowed ny our mill
t.iry authorities to take up II practical
study of the machine for war purposes.
or avtators who are operating aeroplanes
for sport the number may be told off on
the fingers OF one hand. The builders are
at tho point where they must soon forsake
tho business unless there opens a way
whereby they may secure orders enough
To pay al least a larger part OF their ex-
pcnses than IS now the case. The result
threatens tn DC 3 sta&nation which will
delay tho development of the dynamic ny
or IN this country for many years.
L, is. therefore. essential to investigate
Mt this time the causes of the present
conditions with tho object OF learning
where. il possible, there may be signs OF
Improvement. In the first place there Ia
the army ard navy. 1t has already been
shown beyond Il doubt that the wars OF
the future will be determined in large
part through the effective use ny one side
OF the other of the air scout, which far ex-
ceedx IN efficiency any means yet devised
for securing Information as to the size.
the disposition and the movements of q
hostile force.
These are statements which are so wide
ly recognized as TO need no further proof.
1t Is only necessary, TO Clinch h matter.
to point out what is being done abroad.
In round figures France is spendinE $780,
OU during The current year for her
! Fourth Arm Russia. 100000 Eng
land. u little more than x2.oO.do. and
Germany, something more than N,60O.eO.
The amount set. aside by congress In the
army bill. which the president vetoed, was
just 10000. This is The muniiicent SUM
| which must buy the aeroplaneS needed
| (thc cost OF IA single craft OF any suitable
typo cannot he less than 5000, pay for
breakaxes. fuel, oil and other expenses
! during flying. and cover, in fact. all OF the
costs OF the flying corps. with the excep-
ton OF pay. There is little encourage
ment for the manufacturers here.
1t is almost impossible to imagine the
| cheese pairing methods which the govern
| ment OF the wealthiest nation az the world
employees in respect to- this important
branch of the defenses Of the country.
| And the blame cannot be laid wholly on
congress-, although there docs indeed rest
y large degree OF responsibility there. The
attitude OF the war department and the
officers in charge OF the work In aviation
must share the culpaAtlity.
L LII ltIk IdllUs ET0I1CU aIu N10IHlhIlY IktC
constructors arc encouraged In every way.
The competition held in France last fall,
4 and that to be held next month in Eng
land have offered bonuses for machines
which exceed the specifications. In this
country al order was given q manufac-
turcr for u machine with q G%horsepowar
motor. to make a certain speed. The Or
der was given verbally and the price wa
stated. After the construction was we'll
along the written order came In. 1t called
for a motor OF T-hOrsepower. at the same
price. The motor wax installed, and the
machine made something like Is miles an
hour better han the contract require
ment. Was there any corresponding ad-
dition to the price? There was not, and
not only that. but the government sent
am officer to the plant with the request
that he be taught or the new %aeroplana
at the risk OF tie builders. meaning that
If the pupil smashed tho machine, the
ompany would have to make 1t over be-
fore the war department. would accept 1t.
The increased demand in engine power
had already eaten up the profit on which
the constructors had figured. and then
they were asked TO take q chance IN los
ing the whole cost Of the machine besides.
without any r-ecOmpense whatever. The
same concern secured an order for a sec
ond-ilAnd pair OF floats for a hydro-aero-
plane. Tho government couldn't afford Il
new pair.
This Is the sort OF encouragement which
those attempting to build up the aero
plane industry are receiving from a gov
ernment actually in need of aeroplanes.
Such incidents might be multiplied indefi-
iltciy. but it is not necessary to go fur
ther into the discouraging details.