The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-02

the great air fleets of the European
armies have gained since the war on that
continent began. Congress created the
advisory commission late in the session.
Soon after Congress adjourned President
Wilson appointed twelve foremost stu
dents of aeronautics in this country, and
the commission has now organized with
the definite purpose of turning the
science of aviation to as much account
in peaceful pursuits as the automobile
has become in the past ten years. mas
much as the army and navy are repre-
scented on the advisory commission by
officers who have devoted several years
OF close attention to the problems of
aerial flight. the tremendous advances
made by English, German. French, and
Russian aviators of the contendinc
armies may be readily laid before this
first national American aeronautic insti-
tuition, as American naval and military
attaches have sent rcams of notes on
their aeronautic observations from
abroad.
Secretary Charles d. Walcott. of the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington
who is primarily responsible for the
creation of the commission. makes the
statement that the United States is the
only first-class nation tagging behind In
aeronautics, science which was born
on American soil: and suggests that
America can make amends for its tardy
recognition of the Overhead highway
by producing aeroplanes which will take
almost the same place in the everyday
life of American travellers, engineers. and
men who need to bridge great distances
as the motor car.
The commission is composed OF
twelve men especially selected for theii
purely scientific attachments or theii
connection with engineering institu.
lions, and every care was taken to APP
point men who could not in any way
be criticised as representing any com
mercial interest in aviation. Accord
| ingly the President appointed Gen
George p Scriven. chief signal officer
Of the United States army, undel
whom aviation has made progress ir
| the army: Lieut.. Col. Samuel Reber, Y
Is, A., aviation section, Signal Corps
| Can't Mark l.. Bristol. L. S. N. the ma
| val officer in charge of hydroaeroplant
affairs in the Navy Department: Nava
Constructor Holden c. Richardson. u
S. N; DR.. Charles d. Walcott. secre'
tary of the Smithsonian Institution
from which the first heavier-than-a all
machine flew: Charles +. Marvin. CHIEF
| of the Weather Bureau: DR.. s. w
Stratton, chief of the Bureau OF Stand
ards: Byron r. Newton. Assistant Sec
rotary of the Treasury. These mer
are government representatives,. From
, the foremost technical schools. where
problems Of aerodynamics are consld
cred. President Wilson selected for the
commission Prof. w. F. Durand. 10
| land Stanford University; Prof. Michae
lI. Pupin. Columbia University: Prof
John F. Hayford. College of Engineer
| ing of Northwestern University. ant
Frof. Joseph S. Ames, Johns Hopkins
University.
Keen interest in AerOaautics.
As will be shown. the commission
grows out of the lively interest ir
aeronautics on the broadcast possible
plane by the Smithsonian Institution
and scientists interested In the com
mission have stated that when tho
President signed the papers appoint
| ing the members he did as much to-
| ward developing the flying machine a:
Samuel Pierpont Langley did on May
| 6, 1896. when he made the first sue
successful flight in mans history.
That light took place at Quantico
Nd, over the Potomac River. nearl!
twenty years ago. Since that time the
| fling machine has become the aero
plane" and men and women of the
leisure classes have begun to buy ma
chimes for sport. but as far as thu
science of aviation is concerned the
| United States knows scarcely anything
more than Prof. Langley knew when III
was dubbed the birdman." England
, and Germany and France have taker
the Langley ideas and have spent mil
lions and millions Of pounds, francs
and marks to discover the ultimate
type of heavier-than- machine ant
to find the almost Intangible zone OF
greatest safety for aero maneuvers.
ropean armies than there are cannon ir
the army of the United States: there arc
more aviatorS than there are cavalry
men in the American army, and the Slo.os
which the Smithsonian Institution MAY
spend each year i'll the alleged develop
ment of aerial science is so laughinSlJ
small as to cause the faces of American
scientists to redden with shame. Yankee
shrewdncss evidently was on leave wher
the acropiane idea was evolved; for II
this instance the Smithsonian institution
Itself the center point of all SCIENTIFIC
knowledge of the Western hemisphere
announces that Europe has taken the
great overhead highway TO herself, ano
that the latest commercial concern to be
organized for the manufacture of aircraft
confesses its inability to find any fixed
IDEAS on any of the various perpleXine
problems which necessarily arise.
The Smithsonian Institution saw the
drift of the world. especially since aero
nautics have changed military and nava
tactics as shown daily in Europe. ant
simply announce TO the administration al
Washington that unless the United Sta tc!
awoke, the greatest space and time kill
ing development OF this decade would al
come from foreigners. Since Langley
made his first fight, half dozen otheI
marvellous inventions have given every
mans day more hours. and have re-
made the world. The telephone which il
1886 was still lacking in many business
Offices is almost as much a household
implement as the dishpan: wireless teleg-
raphy, without which no passenger
steamer may leave port. had never beer
heard of then, the automobile was still
DREAM the graphophone had just beer
launched. The flying machine" and 1.-THE
:Drseless carriage" were still In the
realm of speculation. II. G. Wells and
Conan Doyle and others of the Jules
Verne school of dreams were publishing
marvellous predictions. all of which have
been realized and surpassed by actua
commercial successes. And now comes
the man who probably represents the
pivot of all scientific development in the
United States-Secretary Charles d. Wal.
cott-of the Smithsonian Institution-whC
makes the fiat statement that IL the
United States government will quit fool.
ing with the aeroplane and get down to
business. in ten years the flying machine
will be as common for every day use as
the cheaper grades Of automobiles are
today.
Development Of AerOplane.
..If you will go back ten years in tn,
development Of the aeroplane. it was Al