New-York tribune., 1919-02-10
Idle Wings

The United States has trained 10000
army and navy pilots, at an average cost
of $4,000 each, a total of $300,000, 900.
The United States has on hand aero
nautic equipment valued at $S00000 900.
Dismissing as a closed incident the fact
that our lack of aerial preparedness re-
suited in comparatively few Of these
trained pilots getting into the fighting
and in only 1872 American airplanes
reaching the front, can we, rich as we
are, afford to let $1,000 900 expended
for training and material go to waste?
That sum is only small part of the
amount dispensed. Those 10000 men,
for instance. were only the expert pilots.
According to Secretary Baker, the day
of the armistce saw Is, ,6SS officers and
137,760 enlisted men in the air service
But those 10000 expert pilots and that
SS00,O0O 600 worth of material represent
the assets of a concern that has gone out
Of business. What shall be done with
these assets? Shall these young men
who have qualified for the conquest of
the air go back to the counter, the Office
and the shop? Shall this vast amount
of material the finest of motors, the pick
of the spruce forests, the best product
OF the linen looms, decay in government
warehouses while the United States, af-
ter giving the world the first practical
airplane, relapses to the last place in
aeronautics, which it held at the out
break of the war?
The questions will have to be answered
one way or the other very soon. Our avi-
ators discharged from the service, are
asking what is in store for them Cap
tain Eddie Rickenbacher, the American
ace of aces, talking of his plans for the
future, said he could not imagine himself
returning to his old profession of motor
racing. He has definitely cut the bonds
that bind him to the earth and expects
the air to be his realm in the future. In
the case of Captain Rickenbacher there
will be no lack of opportunity to follow
this chosen course, but what of the
thousands Of other young men just as
eager for the new life, who, not having
won the renown which attaches to an ace
ties open to them?
One answer is that proposed by Alan
r. Hawley, president Of the Aero Club
Of America, in an address at the conven
tion Of the Rivers and Harbors Congress
in Washington Captain Hawley pro-
posed that the energy engendered by war
be not permitted to die, but be turned
while it is still under full momentum into
the channels Of commerce. The pith of
the plan is in this paragraph:
"The organization of government
body similar to the grain corporation,
to be known as the Aerial TRANSPORT
Corporation or by similar name, capital
lied at s5oooO0Oo, which shall take over
the $800,00000O worth Of airplanes,
motors and aeronautic equipment which
the army and navy cannot use and are
trying to dispose Of This corporation
shall devise ways and means for salvar-
ing this equipment, utilizing whatever
can be used to establish aerial transnor-
taticn lines in the United States and sup
plying the South and Central American
countries, which are anxious TO have
aerial transportation lines"
DefnlA suggestions are put forth for
the establishment of aerial TRANSPORT
lines connecting industrial centres. sl,ch
as New York and San Francisco, Wash
'ngton and Chicago, Minneapolis and
New Orleans, Key West and Havana. and
the like. The corporation would take
over all the material the government has
on hand and would give employment to
Sucn OF the goyernment-trained aviators
rs wish TO continue the career in the
ar opened to them through their train
ing for war.
There are twenty or more army avia-
ton stations and aviation depots which
tins aerial transport corporation would
take over and operate as public air
Cromes which could be used, by the pav
'nent of fee, by private az we'll as gov
efnnent aviators, the latter being en-
p'oyed IN such tasks az carrying mail.
such alrdromes, by the way, are sprino-
ing up IN all parts Of England, aerial
transport IL being established on a large
scale, and q type Of low-prccd machine
IL being turned out for civilian fliers and
il finding large sale
Bills now before Congress call for a
peace programme for the army which
viii make us Of Iegs than $500 pilots,
ard that Of the navy calls for the reten~
ion cf only a50 aviatore Of the present
10000 flying men in that service II the
army spd navy are to be reduced 10 such
footing Il seems to be the part Of wig
Gcn fa1 fs4e government To provide some