American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-03-28

certain, writes Agnes c. Laut in New York Sun.
Can it be done? To what uses can we turn
5000 machines and 10000 men that will give re-
turns at all commensurate with the enormous out
hay? Hadn't we better figure all the outlay up
and charge it to war and let 1t go at that, ana not
break more necks? That is the practical mans
attitude; and the airplane manufacturers attitude
is just what the motor manufacturers was Ten
years ago.
AS well ask TO what use can we put our five mil
zion output of motorcars? How can we use ar
planes in practical everyday life? Here is the air
plane mans answer, and when you have pondereu
it 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 perishable foods; fast transcontinental ana
ocean passenger service, joy riding, sightseeing to
places inaccessible by rail, such as the upper
reaches of Grand Canyon or 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 or the not
tropical forests of Africa and South America
which would not be hot by the air route boundary
sarol, patrol or power lines and Oil lines ana gas
Lnes, bird's-eye sightseeing of cities, country to
cit committing, patrol of forests for hres' hrst au
In medical work, quick relief in such catastrophes
as flood, fires. earthquakes; life saving at sea II
case of wreck, carrying supplies to inhccesslDie
mines such as those in the klondike or on the
Coppermine river or in deserts where lack Oh
water bars out man and beast mountain climbing
on wings, military and naval reconnaissance.
For all these purposes no right of way Is re-
quired. no rails, no grading. Both extreme heat
and extreme cold can be avoided. Any one OF these
manifold uses would absorb every airplhne now
engaged for war. All the uses combined would de-
mand and absorb as many airpfanes as lhere are
motorcars-say 100000 for this country alone.
At this stage, the practical man has a touch OF
aerial vertigo. He is too polite to tear his nalr
mi in houdfulS. but-Well, he interrupts Win,
SHOW me!'
Very we'll. Take mails. Mails are already being
carried between New York and Washington, ana
New York and Chicago; and if all the war planes
are absorbed for mail use, as 1,OW OF them al
ready have been assigned, mails will be carried
before the end of 1919 between all the leading
cities of the United States.
Is this mail business going to be practical? VIII
II pay? VIII 1t save, say, some money as wen as
time? The rate talked Of just now Is IL cents an
ounce or az cents a mile for 20 pounds, which Ii
81 vague that 1t leaves you all up in the air as t.
ultimate charges. This scale is absurdly hlsh
During the experimental period it Is all right
but when aerial mail routes are as common as raj
mail routes, how about chargesh
Profits in the Aerial Mail.
Hera Won are In the realm Of pure speculation
hut. basing your speculation on facts, the govern
ment could do more than save time. IL could say
money and make coolies of money by the air mai
route. Suppose the charge is 70 cents a pouhc
which Is cheaper than our letter rate today.
Land machines as at present constructed ca
carry at least half their own weight, but now tina
war requirements are past, their construction ca
he changed to improve vastly on that Ihey vi
not need machine guns. They VIII not need oomo
They will not need devices for quick ascent
terrific velocity or head-on impetus and impact
case of a charge head to head. They VIII dispens
with an war equipment. That VIII give carryin
capacity for other work.
put take even tie present proportion. ohe III