Arizona republican., 1919-07-25
PILOTS IN AIR MAIL SERVICE
 THREATEN ID
 GO ON STRIKE
Insist That Discharged Pliers Be Reinstated at Once-Say Machines Are Unsafe
TRepublioan A.P. Leased wireI


 BELMONT PARK. N Y.. July 24.- Asserting they were forced to fly not only in bad weather, but also in unsafe machines, 20 aerial mail pilots today served notice on Second Assistant Postmaster General Praeger at Wash inCton that they would refuse to fly tomorrow unless reinstatement was granted two brother pilots who they assert were discharged because they refused to take the air Tuesday on ac- count of fog,
 The airmen tonight received from MT Praeger a telegram stating that the orders applying to the two pilots had not been revoked and asserting that where flying conditions are such that they cannot operate, they have the option to resign.
 According to the men at Belmont field, the strike will affect the avia . tors at Chicago, Cleveland, Bellefont as well as Belmont Park They claim the aerial mail to Chicago and Washing ton will be tied up unless the depart ment reinstates the two. discharged pilots and promises to make the ma : chimes safer for the pilots who remain in service.
 Leon Smith and F. Hamilton Lee are the two pilots whose reinstate- ment is asked. They were serving on the New York Washington route
 The aviators asserted that since June l5 during the recent rainy period no less than fifteen accidents occurred in which ten planes were demolished and two pilots killed.
 The airmen declared they had form ally protested to the war department that the planes supplied them were poorly adapted for flying even in good weather
 The pilots claimed they had informed their superiors that certain planes, re- paired many times, were unsafe tC travel in. They further asserted they had asked for stabilizers which in a fog would show whether the men were flying on an even keel or upside down These indicators. the men say. cost sT5 but they were informed, they said by Mir. Praeger that they should steer by compass as the turn indicators are too expensive"
 The pilots further complained that under the present system, mechanics who work in the hangars and never fly receive equal pay that the men who fly receive, carrying the aerial mail. This pay ranges from S2,000 to $3.600 a year. they said.
 Otto Praeger. second assistant post master general said tonight that he did not believe any strike of mail aviators was impending, the men in the service would refuse duty.
 Tt is true that I did get an anony- nous telegram today" he said, "at least telegram signed mail aviators' which purported to come from the fliers at New York and said they would moi take out the mail tomorrow unless two men discharged Tuesday were rein stated Those men will not go back into service, but it is not likely there will be a strike"
 The difficulty arose last Tuesday when two Of the aviators on the New York Washington flight refused tc take out the mail planes, which have high powered motors and said they would not make the trip except in 15C horsepower machines They were in formed that they must either make the Tight or resign They resigned.
 Al of the postoffice aviators un- derstand when they so into the service that they must take the mail LID when ever the department has mail ready to go."