Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-26


war has spying been so easy, so efficient and
safe. 1t is said that the casualties of the
air corps of the various armies are fewer than
those of any other service.
Capitalized by War
OF course Langley went broke" for his
pains for blazing the trail. Indeed, the manu-
facture of air craft was a private or semi.
private rather than public enterprise until
quite recently. Even Germany made Zeppe.
lin beg for funds. And even after the military
value of aerOplanes was demonstrable indi.
viduals and towns in France and England
were donating flying machines to their Gov
ernments very much as private organizations
in Americe. are now offering to find Uncle Sam
an army and military equipment.
In this country aviation was then, and still
is, held in esteem chiefly as a sport and sug-
gestions of its usefulness and inventions and
undertakings to develop it came almost en-
tirely from private citizens and private funds.
Only the other day the Aero Club of America
offered to sell for 81 apiece TO the United
States Government two high-powered aero
planes for use in Mexico. for the law prevents
the Government from accepting such gifts
With the Great War came the enormous
capitalizing of every scientific invention that
gave the faintest promise of military ad-
vantage TO the investing Powers. The poor in.
ventor came into his own at last. Langley
was born twenty years too soon.
Millions were lavished over night by treas
uries that had begrudged thousands for the de-
velopment of flying before the war Just how
far this development has proceeded since the
war began is in detail largely matter Of
Government secrets. But we do know that
there thousands of men trained to flight
where there were scores before: that hundreds
of inventors are at work where there were
halfdozens; that the size of machines is larger;
that their carrying capacity for practical pur-
poses and for long Journeys has become inn
mensely greater. And all of this has come
about because the armies had to have the
flying machines and did not stop to count the
cost
Will the impetus given by the war last over
into times of peace and make the aeroplane a
real factor in spreading and enhancing civiliza-
tion?
Air Mail Service
The indications are that it will The air mail
service is no new thing The French have
realized the idea in Algeria; and in other parts
of the world where communities are not easily
TO be served proitably by railroads or steam
ships, such as the vast districts in Canada and
Alaska, the plans are going forward for mail
and parcel air service. For rapid Transports
tion over deserts and such bodies of water as
the Great Lakes or the Caribbean for ferry
ing over wide riyers. the aeroplane and the
Zeppelin are now in line as the next new
thing.
With the sanction of the United States
Treasury Department, bill is to be introduced
in Congress to provide for Coast Guard aero
corps. In time Of peace this corps would be
used TO facilitate the work OF saving lives and
property at
THE use Of the aeroplane in this work. while
new and novel" says Henry Woodhouse gov
ernor Of the Aero Club, SIS thoroughly prac-
teal. and II would prove especially eficient
in patrol work and the keeping up Of communi-
cation between isolated lighthouses and the
main base OF supplies"
Many other places are as much cut Of as
lighthouses are from the daily newspapers,
.....l.l.r r.laaazlnas ana the tlfaIlzIns. intar