The sun., 1919-07-03

of Nations will be shown to have not
absolutely done away with this"
Senator New called to mind the de-
rision with which the automobile and
the telegraph were greeted at hrst. He
claimed both airship and airplane as
American inventions.
IL am not going to recount the expert
ences OF the United States with reference
to aeronautics during the last two years.
They are painful. distressing and per-
haps the least said about them the
better. l am thinking as much or more
of the commercial future of the industry
and OF the possibilities OF its develop
ment as / am of aeronautics~of-a mill
tary arm, and because OF that ! believe
IL is going to be necessary for the
United States to have a Department OF
Aeronautics.
I'VE all know that Great Britain,
France and Italy are to-day PROSECUTING
In South America for the development
OF the use OF aircraft. We should send
commissions there and we should have
something here for those commissioners
to represent. II In of no use for them to
go there to sell airplanes which we can
not manufacture. We should prepare
ourselves to engage seriously and sue
cessfully in this great enterprise.
Aviation is our own child. but fear
We may hDanuOn u OH IOTtlBu uOOT
step, and / am for sticking by our own
and developing that which is ours. In
the very nature of things the navy can
not do that. the army cannot do It.
| II must be the business OF somebody
| to represent all the interests OF the
United States. No man in this country
10 too big for the job"
Real Feeling Displayed.
There was real feeling displayed by
| the diners. who included such men as
Glenn Curtiss, Gen. L. Z. o. Charlton,
| British Air Attache: Senator Harry s.
New. Major-Gen. Thomas H. Barry. Col
Archie Miller and host OF others. in
| the greeting given to the men who had
| first subdued the Atlantic. All three OF
the commanders OF the seaplanes made
| addresses, in which each skilfully con-
cealed the part he himself had played in
| the expedition. Lieutenant Comma nder
| Read avoided. for the most part, the
| story of the dash of the NC-4, but spoke
with great conviction concerning the fu-
ture of aviation and acknowledged the
kind greeting which had been extended
in every country the wandering NC-i
passed over.
In England Harry Hawker was the
first to greet me-" he said. "A remark
| for which he has been criticised in this
| country was well explained by him to
me while in London, where he did every
| thing to see that our stay was pleasant
He explained that he made the remarl,
concerning patrol ships at a luncheon a,
| which he was endeavoring to defend the
British Admiralty from the attack Of q
, newspaper on the charge that 1t failed
| to send out boats along the course be.
/ tween Newfoundland and Ireland. TIL,
1 80 IyrsN t,k.
| very marked"
Commander Towers explained to tn,
diners that the enterprise which he com
, manded was not zone man job" blu
! a departmental job-a Job in which tn
| whole navy took part, and one in whicl
the credit would never be properly dis
tributed. He mentioned, although no
by name. two men at the speakers
table. Commanders j. C. Hunseker an,
G. c. Westervelt, who, with Commando
Holden c. Richardson. were responsible
in large part for the design of the gian
seaplanes.
| Senator New also gave full credit I
the navy for its team work in making
the transatlantic fight a success with
out loss of life. but urged the establish
ment of Department of Aviation 4
this country as in England.
Major-Gen. Charles T. Menoher pre-
scented. in the name of the America
Flying Club. beautifully engraved gol
cigarette cases to the three commander,
The congratulations OF England on tn
flight were extended by Gen. Charlie
to the navy fiiers.
Among those present at the Dime
over which Job Hedges presided wit
his usual dry humor were besides thos
already mentioned Representative F. +
La Guardia, Capt. T. T. Craven, U.
N. Laurence La Hourette briggs, pres
ident of the American Flying Club
Rear Admiral James Glennon, Co
, Thomas De witt Milling. U. s. A.; Rea
Admiral T. E. Williams. Rear Admire
w. II. G. Bullard. Frank II. Russell
president OF the Manufacturers Aircraft
Association A. H, Flint general man
ager l. w. F. Engineering Corporation
Alvin Macauley. president Packar