Evening star., 1912-09-08
INVITES THE A|RMEN
Government to Extend Cour-
tesy to Foreigners.
FOLLOWING CHICAGO MEET
Representatives Of Europe Attend
ing Gordon Bennett Race.
PROGRAM AT COLLEGE PARK
Effort to Induce Army Officers to
Aid in Developing Military
Aviation.
PROGRAM AT COLLEGE PARK

1t has Deen OcclueQ tndt tne govern
ment will extend an invitation to the for
eign aviators who are in this country for
the Gordon Bennett race at Chicago. TO
visit Washington about october !, after
the Chicago meet is over The invitation
will be given through the chief signal of
hcer at Chicago. II there is anything
like a general acceptance Il will result in
a general demonstration of the foreign
machines and engines at College Park in
October. Several OF the visiting aviators
are representatives of foreign manufac-
turing concerns that are anxious to do
business with the American government,
and a general assembly Of the foreign
machines at College Park would give a
good chance to Judge Of their respective
merits.
Whether the foreigners assemble here
or not. the aviators have decided to ex-
tend all the facilities possible and exert
whatever PERSUASION at command to get
the higher officers Of the army TO try
out the army machines during the re-
mainder of the flying season.
Serves as Stimulus.
The army machines are always at the
disposal of army officers who want to
ride as passengers. and the aviators have
found by experience that whenever an Of
fcer is a passenger his interest in the
development of the aviation arm is
greatly stimulated 1t is intended.
therefore. to get all the higher officers
possible, from the chief of staff down, to
make trips at the park while the weather
is good.
Col. George p. Scriven. acting chief
signal officer of the army, left Wash
ington yesterday afternoon for Chicago
where he will attend the aviation meet
of the Aero Club of Illinois which opens
there next week. At this meeting will
be run the Gordon Bennett race, which
is the international aerial derby. Three
of the officers of the College Park Avia-
tion School have been invited by the
Illinois officials to attend as officials of
the meet. They are Capt. Charles de
Forest Chandler. Lieut.. Harry H. Arnold
and Lieut.. T. d. Milling. They have al
ready left for Chicago.
Peck May Take Part.
Paul Peck, the Washington civilian
aviator, left Washington for Chicago
Friday and was followed yesterday by
J. Lee Simmons. his constructor, with
two machines. He will enter some OF the
events of the meet. 1t is not yet decided
whether or not be will be on the Ameri-
can team for the Gordon Bennett event,
but one OF his machines is a fast mono
plane and, as there seems scarcity of
American entries for the big race he
may enter more to make up the number
than In expectation of winning against
the fast foreign machines. 1t Is noted,
however, that although the French and
German machines proved very fast in
Europe. they have not showed up SO
fast here as they were in the elimination
races held In their respective countries.
All Of the American army officers who
participated In ! the recent maneuvers
around New York have returned to
Washington and have their own opinion
veloping its flying squad. They are gen.
orally agreed on the need for perfecting
an army organization Of aviators that
will take its place with the other arms
Of the service. the infantry. cavalry and
artillery.
They hold also as the result of their
New York experience that the aerial de-
tail of the army should be ofdcered by
men who, though they need not be active
fiers at the time. have had actual ex-
perience as fiiers so as to be able to judge
the needs of the aviation detail and the
conditions under which the aerial scouts
should be required to work
Automobile Truck Requisite.
There was another point on which all
of the aviators agreed, and that was the
need OF high-powered automobile truck
to accompany the aeroplanes at their
CAMPS and 10 make quick dash for re-
pairs when a machine Is injured.
Many of the higher officers at the ma
neuyers were utterly ignorant of aero
planes and their requirements. and some
of the camps and landing places selected
by tisese non-fiiers for the aeroplane con-
tingent were inadequate-would have
been laughably so had IL not been such a
serious matter for the aviators.
The big Burgess-Wright machine con-
structed for the army at Marblehead
Mass, has been shipped to College Park
and is expected to be assembled there the
coming week. This machine was demon
strated and accepted at the factory. so
II Will not again be necessary to demon
strate IL here. 1t will be assigned to
Lieut.. F. c. Kirkland