Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-19
LORD WEIR LEAVES.
THE AIR MINISTRY
Resignation Marks Another Step in
Brilliant Career of Mctcoric
ScOtclinan.
BUILDER OF MANY AIRpLANEs
Then Flew in Them to Test Their
Flying and Carrying Capacity
and Improve Methods OF Thcir
Manufacture.
ny CLAIR PRICE.

LONDON. sanuary lS.--The rcsigna-
ton as Secretary of State for :he
another step in the brilliant career
of meteoric Scotchman. When the
war broke out, Lord Weir--then Mr..
& !. Weir. of Glasgow. a firm engag ed
in the manufacture of pumps. Early
in the war. Lloyd George appealed
orgies and their factories 10 the manu-
facture of war material. MIR. Weir
at once undertook to build complete
airplnnes. and not only bull, them.
but. although he was without previous
aeronau;ical experience. flew in then,
and tested them, with his brother.
His success in shifting his great
factory almost over night from the
manufacture of pumps to the manu-
to appoint him Director of Munitions
for Scotland. In this work he per-
formed wonders, organizing y, great
area without interfering with ship
building. In recognition of his sue
cess, he was knishted in 1919.
NAMED DlR:CTOR-Gt;NERA
OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION
His success. too. won for him APP
pointment as chief of the supply dc.
partment Of the Ministry OF NUM-
tons. and he was bought to Lon
Of Aeronauticai Supplies. and in De-
esmber 1911, ne Was iasr, app9 ,rn, d.,
rector-Gentral Oh aircraft Production'
succeeded Lord Rothermcre as Air
Minister in April. 1918. and was raised
TO the pserage last June: taking the
dous Job ahead Of him There was a
very deep feeling among the, army
the new Royal Air Force. that the
.r; a. f. was not to-, to be sue soni
l, ha.. lnft dor hn RI iI.sll
and the War Office as before. the new
ministry combining It's work to the
of aircraft, in which. IL
was universally admitted. great need
prevailed for corporations Former
~ the Royal Flying Corps and the
RoAS,l Naval Air Service had been
aircraft construction, with the re-
suit that construction depended fire.
quently not upon the national needs
ness relations.
TOOK HOLD OF JOB
WITH vIGOR AND TACT
Lord Weir. however. took hold OF
the Air Ministry with such vigor and
tact aud discrimination that much OF
traced directly to hin. He was
pioneer in the development OF the
motor car, having acted as director
had learned the necessity of giving
scope to new designs. BY etticient
of the new ministry.
he brought about a vast expansion,
supplied BriH inns uneuuaiicd pilots
with uneoualed machines and equip
men,. and, incidentally. saved many
or pounds 10 the country.
Now. that he is about 10 leave the
Air Ministry, and now that the Royal
Air Force is about to be resolved
back into war Office control. Lord
Weir viii return 10 his own business
to take prominent par; In the de-
velopmcnt of commercial aviation. In
INA ~ a Lent
very important part in The pioneer
work necessary TO 4 well-dereioped
commercial tronautical II attic and
the large experience which he has
gained as All: Minister is 70 be put
to the nations uses in other cham
nels
GREAT EUTuHE
FOR AVIATION WORK
II think" he said recently, that
the possibilities OF commercial svia-
ton are great: the Immediate prob
lens are no, so great. The actual
practical limit ations are still great"
The future OF the Royal Air Force