The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-06-21

has there been such interest on the
part OF foreigners In q presidential
campaign as is the case this year.
The members of the national COM
mittee Of each party have been asked
to set aside seats for several foreign
ambassadors and ministers and for
many of the subordinates of the en-
bassies and legations. 1t Is known that
foreign governments take great In
terest In American political affairs
and while the thing is not done pub
Hcly. they are kept informed by their
representatives In this country OF the
various impending political changes
and OF the probable chances Of the
candidates, coupled probably with
statements as to Just what changes In
the administration are likely to mean
In connection with treaty matters or
with the attitude of this government
toward foreign governments general
ly.
A bill has just passed the senate OF
the United States appropriating $15,-
100000 to be used by the government
for the purchase of all the land lying
on the south side OF Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between the treasury building and
the capitol The bill was introduced
by Senator Hepburn and 1t went
through the senate quickly. What its
fate In the house will be at this ses-
sion no one can tell yet, but eventual
ly probably 1t will pass.
The ynunVx, ruyne al
large part of the land lying between
Pennsylvania avenue and the Potomac
river, but there Is big section of 1t
bordering on the avenue and extend
ing to the park in which the agricul-
tural buildings are situated, which Is
given over to business, stores, mar
kets. small hotels and lumber yards.
1t is for this section that Mr., Hey
burns bill provides the money for pur-
chase.
AvIators of Signal Corps.
The signal corps of the army
is studying and practicing avia-
ton daily and in dead earnest. The
corps has not been given as much
money by congress for the purpose OF
perfecting it's men in the art of flying
as was wished for, and not nearly
enough. perhaps, to keep this country
in equipment abreast Of other great
countries of the world. but with their
small appropriation the signal corps
men are doing all that they can, and
even If they have not all the necessary
machinery they intend apparently to
be ready to use 1t when they do get 1t.
Out on a reaching meadow near
Hyattsville, Md, every afternoon Of
ficers and enlisted men of the signal
service go soaring skyward in their bt-
planes. They not only fly, but they
engage In the practice of trying to
drop missiles so that they will hit the
mark, and In addition to this they
drop weighted envelopes, supposedly
containing messages. In war time
these envelopes would be dropped from
aloft into outlying posts of an army
which could not readily be reached
by the couriers of the commanding
general.
Scores of visitors go to the aviation
kground every day from the city OF
Washington. Everybody remembers
that q was an America officer who
sacrificed his life as volunteer for
the service in the first attempted trial
of a biplane under government au-
spices with two passengers in The ma
chine. 1t seems almost Incredible
to some people that the officers and en-
listed men of the signal corps should
go to their flying work daily in the
face of the record of the years casual,
ties, and do 1t with such perfect non.
chalance, seemingly giving no more
thought to a flight way up into the
clouds than they would give to a foot
drill on the parade ground.
Testing a New Machine.
On the aviation field hangers have
been built in which to house the bi
planes, of which there are several, two
When a visit was paid to the field an
officer and an enlisted man were seat
ed in an absolutely new machine, anc
were going to test it for the first time
They took running start over the
meadow and then went up. neither one
of them knowing definitely whether oil
not the machine was to develop some
weak spot which might make flying
fatal. TheA made time test of it
staying aloft two hours, most of the
time being from 600 to 1000 feet above
the heads of the spectators.
A detachment of enlisted men tool
a piece of white canvas 20 feet square
out to the center Of the meadow anC
there spread 1t on the ground, thu
white of the canvas doubtless showing
forth from aloft distinctly from th'
surrounding green. The biplane cir
cled on the field, which Is huge one
then gradually narrowed the circle ant
than rather sharp turn was mad,
and the aviators passed directly owe
the white canvas, dropping weigh
which landed within two or three fee
OF the target.
1t must be said that the machine II
which the soldiers were riding wa