Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-20
sLAz,Ma THE AIR TRAILS.

n LIEUTENANT Maynard has set a
new pace for aerial navigation in
LIS country, having successfully trav-
eied across the continent and back in
record time. His feat has attracted
the admiration of not only his own
country but the world. 1t ranks with
the crossing Of the Atlantic ocean by
Alcock In an airplane and the flight
OF the giant dirigible to this country
and back from England. His expe-
rience and the experience Of other ad-
yenturers who attempted the trans
continental trip will no doubt furnish
the needed information to make I'm
provements on the airplane 50 that 1t
can travel with greater safety and
more speed.
In the comment on the aerial derby
criticism has been directed toward at
tempting it because of the apparent
foolhardy loss of life. No less than
nine of the aviators who started on the
trip across the continent travelling east
and west were killed and q were forced
out of the running. A grand total OF
s3 Lirdmen made the start. Without
giving the subject much thought, it no
doubt appears to many people that TINS
toll of life was unnecessary and the
birdmen should have been content to
wait until navigation by the air was
made safer. They forget, however,
that the very fact travel is via the air
and must be so, it is natural that there
would be fatal disasters. Everyone
would like to see them eliminated in
their entirety, but we are still in the
experimental stage insofar as aerial
navigation is concerned, and to bring
about that element of safety that all
desire, repeated trials with machines
y Of various makes, must take place. else
how would it be possible to perfect the
aerial craft? 1t Is to be deplored thai
felt sympathy OF all will go out to the
relatives of those who gave their livei
that travel through the air might b.
Improved.
When the first railroad trains wer
operated, there was widespread criti
cism over the heavy loss Of life. Peo
PIE feared thes steam engine and 1t
rumbling cars. Many refused to rid
in them. Today the element Of risl
has not been entirely removed, yet |
IL being reduced to the minimum
When the automobile was first invente'
and came into use, 1t was viewed some
what in the same light as the steam
train. The same criticism that is be
ing directed against the airplane now
was heard about the automobile in 1t
early stage Of development. Yet n
one will deny the stability of the auto
mobile today. Before 1t Is a wonderfr
future of development.
So we must, and of course will, loo
upon the airplane. The oceans an
great continents are being crossed b
It. There will be loss of life, probabl
In greater numbers during the neA
few years devoted to perfecting an
developing the aerial machine, tina
there has been in the past. BIZ
the minds of men confined to pei
fecting the airplane and dirigible wi
find a way to reduce it to the min
mum. Like the steam train, the b
cycle, the automobile, the electric ca
the airplane has come to stay. Sue
men as Lieutenant Maynard are IL
pioneers in blazing the air trails SOC
to be traversed by hundreds of thou,
aads of people just as they travel
the automobile and over the railroa
, This is progress and progress cam
be stayed.