The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-20
MAYNARD MAKES
NEW STATEMENT
Former Utterance Was "Jug
gled,' He Says

Washington, Dec 16.-Licut. Bclvin
w Maynard, the Plying Parson' de-
clared tonight in q formal statement
that his recent statement concerning
the effects of alcoholic liquoc- I avia-
tors which was issued through the
..nti-Saloon league. had been lug
gled" until it had LETT a false impress
sion and enormously had attributed
his remarks IS applying to aviators
participating II tie transcontinental
reliability test.
Els statement follows:
IT feel it is cue to the memory Of
,!le wonderful mon who gave their
Ives n the cause CT aviation de-
velopment in the recent transconti-
.c!,tal air race to clear Up the hor-
ribs ard miserable impression that
has gotten about through the juggling
OF my statement to tho Anti-Saloon
league with respect to the effect Of
intoxicating liquor or tiiers general
u.
My statement was made in good
fai;n TO the Anti-Saloon league at
their earnest solicitation, and they
roicb;ng it Of It's opening paragraph
and in giving it the misleading cap
tiol 'Booze Knocked cut Trans-Con-
tinental Fhers' have with the aid of
the press succeeded in doing me the
most serious injustice l have ever uE-
Gergcnc. and have done 20 the trans
continental ti;ers CT the race and TO
the air service as :, whole an even
more serious injustice.
Such statements that n large num-
he, OF the casualties in the race We're
caused by flying with hangovers and
being drunk arc absolutely false and
without foundation and "'ere n1anipu-
lated to create q sensation. The very
fact that ! was fortunate.+ by interven-
t:on Of good weather in my favor 10
BE- constantly few miles ahead Of
the rest Of the fliers. is evidence IL it
self that 7 could not have based my
oplnion on the eeffct of alcohol on
flying from my observation Of fliers in
TIE race. Indeed. several of those
Killed were total abstainers.
The juggling Of my statement has
transformed it into lie against my
colleagues in the race. which impress
sion certainly won't allow to stand
without an emphatic and complete
denial on my part. Let my statement
be now clear and not twisted to meet
the demands of those who hunger for
scandal and sensation.
Il said and I still say that many
accidents in aviation are caused by
overuse of intoXicants. Aviation is a
game where q false move means dis
aster. and in any such vocation the
participant needs the full use OF an
active brain-not deadened and
weakened by the effect Of liquor.
Such an affected brain and the
corresponding reaction on the nervous
system add an unnecessary fatal haz-
ard TO the already natural and neces-
sary hazard Of flying itself.
",rhe action OF the publicity agents
Of the Anii-Sa!oon league or the
press, or whatever it was, in so jl.-
Cling this true statement OF fact 70
meet the demands Of sensation. in
making it appear that my conclusions
were based entirely upon r2f u!ssel-
vatons during the race, has rr"2!eG
this most false and unjust Impression
of which I am in no way q party and
fer which | am truly sorry.
Il only hope that this true state
ment of my ideas receives the s2me
consideration and publicity tirl, was
Afforded the false one