El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-13
AIR TRAVEL IS
NOT DANGEROUS
Wal Develops Utility Of
Airplanes; Safe as Land
transportation.
u EHEDEnIC J. HAsKTN.

during peace t-me-
This is a fascinating question which
IS being much discussed among the
few men who realize how great a
thing our progress i'm the air has be-
( come. They are agreed that the work
OF so years OF peace time has been
( done In three or four Of war and that
I the modern airplaue is the highest
I achievement or mans mechanical
{ genius
Z The peace time uses of the airplane
. can be as yet only vaguely foreseeus
E but 10 is certain that none or these
/ things VIII perish. that the technical
I knowledge. the Industrial develop
menL and the human sense Of con-
( quest over n new element are all per-
uaneut things
Airpianes for Pleasure Rides.
our new system of aerial coast
guard patrols, for which provision has
+ been made iu The current appropri-
alton measures. VIII absorb a large
number OF the machines and the
skilled aViators which the soverum emit
ls now developing 10 is not probable
that any great number cf govern
ment planes VIII be placed upon the
market. but some viii, and these viii
De eagerly bought Up by enterprislns
men. and used for pleasure and in
Custrial purposes
The greatest force in the dcvelO piug
Of peace time flying VIII be thousands
OF airDlaue pilots and mechanics who
VIII be released from service after the
war These men VIII demand employ
meur i'm their new and fascinating
profession, and the demand viii sure
lv create its own opportunities. for
the force OF a widely felt human de-
sire Us after all one OF the most
Irresistible forces in the world.
Wall By Air Route.
The carrying OF mails by air. which
has just begun in This country. viii
doubtless see a rapid development.
There are hundreds OF OUT Of the way
places where air mail service Isl far
more needed than 10 is between Wash
ington and New York Aerial mail
could do wonders for Alaska The gov
eminent once asked for bids on a con-
tract TO carry mail by air In Alaska,
and no bids were made. After the war.
with the country full OF ambitious
young aviators, and many used planes
on the market no such offer viii 20
begging There are many places III
the west which need airplane service
as badly as Alaska does.
The men who are close 20 modern
alrplaue work expect a much more
rapid development OF passenger traf-
imagine. This latter cannot set away
from the idea that flying IS very
dangerous. lie reads continually Of
accidents az the aviation schools.
without realizing what a very small
percentage OF chance Lhcv represent
when the number OF men in training
is taken into account He never
thinks about the automobile accidents
which are recounted in every paper,
because he has become accustomed 10
course. He viii probably be surprised
TO learn that $3.50 cadets in our flying
schools flew 26L300 miles, which is
Ten times around the world. IN one
Gay. without a fatality DO you think
that an equal number or beginning
motorists could run that many miles
without serious smash up-
The "Aee- a Passing Phase.
The ace" aviator Of the newspaper /
stories with his tiny wasp OF an air
plane and his hair-raisinE stunts. has
also prejudiced the conservative land
lCbber against flying. He likes 70
read about those things but he can
not imagine himself doing them But Z
as q matter OF fact this lone scout in 7
his cranky little speed plane is q
passing phase Of the great air game 4
The coming type OF air craft IS the ]
heavy battle plane which is as stable T.
as horse and buggy. carries several /
.aa.r aaAA - De easily CUNT HAaHA
limousine Our Haviland plane is Of
this type. These great airships in /.
squacrons OF rs 10 20 are fighting the I
war In the air toC1y. and their de-eL- /
opment means the development OF a I
stable plane which viii carry several I
asseugers-the kind OF a plane we 7
Will use in peace time.
The experts say that the thing real .
iy needed 10 make civilian flying safe ]
IS system OF landing fields. Most /
OF the accidents are landing accidents b
and many OF them are due 10 the fact .
that the aviator has no good place 10 I
land. OF course. there is also danger
OF falling II the engine goes wrong,
just as there is danger Of going into D
the ditch Il the steering gear Of an
automobile goes wrong but that dan
ger IS small in both cases. II 10 IS .
Somewhat greater in the airpIane.
that IS Offset by the fact that there Is I
-othing 20 collide With up On the air
10 telegraph poles, pedestrians nor
curves
predicted, the map OF the country VIII
be dotted with landing fields Every
viii probably be COM
PEELED % maintain one. and there VIII
doubtless be many others in cOunec-
ton with private and commercial
hangers. These VIII 20 a long way
toward making mail and passenger
traffic in the air as safe as on the
land.
The only other step necessary TO
bring 10 into ITS own rs the reduction
1f the expense Of flying. and that is
sure 20 come. Materials are being
and fuel improved ev-
Fry day. There Is no reason why the
expense Of the production and Oper-
alton Of airpIaues should not be re-
1uced as rapidly as IL was in the case
Tre DTace ~ she af-r74na I'm o--- -z-
.i0nal life is further assured by the I,
number OF Industries which are grow
Ing up around IT. Nearly all Of these
will after the war. find other uses
Tor their products. but they viii also
Try In every way 20 encourage the
use Of airplanes. 4 large amount OF
money and brains is now engaged in
hese industries. and money and
trains always get results.
Wings for the Planes.
One OF these industries is the max
ne OF cotton cloth for the planes. Be
'c-e we entered the war. the allies
we're using nothing but linen for the
enough OF that material for our own
needs. Accordingly the bureau Of
standards was put 10 work upon the
problem, and IL devised a cotton cloth
made from long staple cotton which
seemed 70 answer the purpose Per
leivinE that this cloth was its best
nance the airplane production board
invested several millions in the long
staple cotton and set mills 20 work
'uccess, and we are now supplying
lur allies as well as ourselves.
LIEUT.. BAEH. AVIATOR.