New-York tribune., 1919-08-13


have the incidental effect of max ng
them contribute to the maintenance Of
aircraft production as an industry. 1t
IS not proposed as | understand it, that
great appropriations of public funds
should be made for the establishment
OF uneconomic commercial air service
routes. but obviously an extension Of
our AIR mail service could be made and
/. could be further extended MS the per
fectlon Of machines advances and their
Icllaplllty Of service is more and more
established.
Such encouragement as the govern
meht may tlnd it wise to give can be
accomplished without sacrificing the
science of military aeronautics The
JOINT board OF the army and navy is
already eliminating duplication and
producing cooperation in developing
the alr service Of those departments.
ana should congress decide to extend
ITS alc to the commerc al DEVELOPMENT
OF alrcra1t complete cooperation Will be
easy IN all matters Of invention, de-
sign and production where the different
aspects of The problem meet on d com
mon ground
In outlining the British policy Of
unified aerial control, the report saws:
1t is not argued that the British
method IS perfect, but IL can be stated
without fear of contradiction in anv
quarter that it stands to- day the most
comprehensive governmental mcchan-
ism yet set up by any nation in the
world for the encouragement, upbuild-
ing, direction and control Of it's air
resources. This organization has been
porn of five bitter years of trial. mis-
take, experience and progress. 1t is
the product of the best brains in the
British Empire focused under the
spur Of national need, and the demand
OF the British people. We in America
may well study it carefully.
"AirShlps are now building in Eng
land which will be able to carry from
hve to ten tons of mail. in addition
to the necessary fuel and crew, and
cross the Atlantic from London TO New
York IN one-half the time made by the
fastest steamships
England is desirous Of organizing
with the United States transatlantic
alrship line for mail service which
would give five day mail service from
London to San Francisco Such a
service Is entirely possible at this
time, and its Inauguration depends
only upon adequate encouragement and
financial support.
"One Of the striking features Of our
investigation in Europe was the unani =
nous belief that the use of aircraft in
warfare and for national defence would
continue to increase, and that in the
next war, whenever il might come.
aircraft would be a far more vital
factor even than it has been IN this war.
One of the greatest military authori-
ties IN Europe stated that in his opin.
ION the first battle of the next great
WAY would be in the ar and would
very nearly decide which side would
WIN, IN that the side winning in the
ar would imme diately have access to
all of its enemy's sources of supply
and production, and would quickly
cripple them by air raids on on enor-
nous scale.
The existence OF an aerial trans
portatlon industry with a great COM
mercial air feet ana or strong pro-
duction industry would greatly de-
crease the need for strictly military
equipment and resources"
Aviation Fields Urged
In its recommendations on civil
aerial transport. the mission says:
There should be provided at ma
tlonal expenses certain flying fields in
strategic locations and suitable for
military purposes. and encouragement
should be given TO the various states
and municipalities to provide flying
fields upon all flying routes at points
found desirable thus eliminating the
necessity for private ownership Of fy-
ing fields except for strictly private
use. Hangars should be provided AT
each flying field by the governmental
authority owning the field, or where
such fields are used constantly by
private interests they should be per
mitted to provide their own hangers
Immediately adjacent to any opening
upon such flying fields.
"The operation and use of such
flying fields should be controlled BY
Federal law, so as to obtain uniformity
throughout the nation and conformity
with international regulations.
"All flying fields and flying routes
should be equipped al national eX-
pense with signalling and communica-
tion systems, including wireless telc-
graphy, wireless telephony and search
lights, to thoroughly safeguard and
guide aircraft in flight The govern
ment's attitude in this matter should
be the same as that maintained tow
ard shipping i'm its lighthouse and
coast patrol service.
World Laws Required
The department Of aeronsutscs
should maintain the closest possible
relations with all civilized nation IN
determining and applying the rules
and regulations which will govern the
international use of aircraft. and there
should be developed a. rapidly As pos
Sible a is consistent with proper con-
sidcration, body of Federal law gov
orniug the use and airworthiness Of
aircraft for commercial purposes
which Will safeguard life and prop
erty and promote the commercial usage
Of aerial trans sportation.
In order that commercial aviation
may be helped and not hindered by
such legal restrictions, it is OF vital
of interstate commerce and made sub
Importance that aerial transportation
be recognized at once as an element
ject to one body of Federal law apply
ing uniformly throughout all of the
United States. 1t Will thoroughly
avoid the compl cations o. individual
state control which have proved to be
such 4 handicap to railroad and auto
mobile operation