The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-03-14

certain. writes Agnes c. Laut in New York Sum-
Can it be done? To what uses turn
ooVo machines and 10000 men that Will give re-
turns at all commensurate with the enormous out
lay? Hadn't we better figure all the outlay up
and charge It to and let it go at that and not
| break more necks? That is the practical mans
attitude and the airpane manufacturers attitude
Is just what the motor manufacturers was ten
years ago
AS well ask to what use put five mil
lion output of motorcars? How can we use air.
planes in practical everyday life? Here is the air
plane mans answer, and when you have pondered
1t you will not count very many airplanes going
TO waste or to spare:
Some Of the Possibilities.
Fast mail, fast express, light rush freight such
as perishabe foods; fast transcontinenta and
ocean passenger service JOY riding sightseeing to
places inaccessible by rail, such as the upper
reaches of Grand Canyon the Holy Land or
the sacred city of Tibet; coast guard and revenue
patrol, ocean survey work. weather bureau work.
exploration, such as across the pole the hot
tropical forests of Africa and South America,
which would not be hot by the air route; boundary
patrol, patrol or power lines and oil lines and gas
lines, bird'seye sightseeing of cities, country to
city committing patrol of forests for fires first aid
in medical work. qnick relief in such catastrophes
rs flood, fires. earthquakes; life saving at sea in
case of wreck. carrying supplies to inaccessible
mines such as those in the klondike or on the
Coppermine river in deserts where lack of
wnter bars out man and beast mountain climbing
ON wings, military and naval reconnaissance.
For all these purposes right of way is
quired, no rails, grading Both extreme heat
and extreme cold can be avoided Any of these
manifold uses would absorb every airpane
engaged for war. All the uses combined would de-
mand and absorb many arplanes as there are
motorcars-say 100000 for this country alone
| AT this stage, the practical man has touch of
aerial vertigo. He is too polite to tear his hair
Il ant HON tftlA hut
'Show mel"
| Very well. Take mails. Mails are already being
carried between New York and Washington. and
New York and Chicago; and if all the war planes
absorbed for mail use. as 900 of them al
ready have been assigned. mails will he carried
before the end of 1919 between all the leading
cities of the United States.
Is this mail business going to he practical? Win
IL pay? WIN 1t save, say, some money, well ms
time? The rate talked of just is l6 cents an
ounce. or AZ cents mile for 20 pounds which is
vague that 1T leaves you all up in the air as to
ultimate charges. This scale is absursy high
During the experimental period it is all right
but when aerial mail routes are common as rail
mail routes. how about charges?
Profits in the Aerial Mail
Here you are in the realm of pure speculation,
hut. basing your speculation facts, the govern
ment could do more than save time II could save
money and make coolies of money by the air mail
route. Suppose the charge is % cents II pound
which is cheaper than our letter rate today
Land machines at present constructed can
carry mt least half their weight, but now that
requirements past, their construction can
be changed 10 improve vastly on that. They will
not need machine guns. They will not need bombs
They will not need devices for quick ascent or
! terrific velocity or head-on impetus and impact In
case IF a charge head to head. They will dispense
! with MI war equipment. That will give carrying
| capacity for other work.
| Put take even The present proportion. One ma