Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-17
SITE FOR AIR
ROUTELANDING
IS REQUESTED
Statement of War Department Re-
oeiVed by City Heads Who Sug-
geSt Annexed Territory.

Mayor H. M. Schriver said in an
interview yesterday that the city
commission has not taken action Of
fcially as yet upon the proposition
of supplying landing sites for air
planes
AS individuals they have given
the matter deep thought, however,
and it is the general belief of the
commissioners that Rock Island
should be the first city in this
country to have a suitable airplane
landing.
The mayor said that it is not un-
likely, if the annexation project
now on foot goes through success
fully, that part of the land taken
into the city may be used for this
purpose. The commission realizes
that it must act within a reasonable
length of time if Rock Island is to
be made station on the air route.
Relative to the proposed trans
continental flight of the army arr
plane, on which route Rock Island
is situated, the war department has
issued the appended statement on
landing fields:
1T is the desire of all those con-
nected with aviation to see in the
near future a suitable landing field
for airplanes at or near every city
and town in the United States. This
desire has been brought about by
conditions that have developed IL
the last two years. The government
has devoted itself in its aerOnautic
al program to the development of
military aviation. 1t had no time TO
give to developing facilities
throughout the country that would
encourage commercial aviation.
There was no room for commercial
aviation during the war. 1t had no
place then but now the war is over
and the industries established and
equipped for production for war
time purposes are confronted with
the dilemma of no demand The
problem is a serious one which the
airpIane manufacturers are facing
today. The proper solution of this
question is for the government to
foster commercial aviation.
1T will be necessary for the gov
eminent, if it hopes to have a basis
for the army and navy air service,
to encourage the peace time in
dustry for a few years or until COM
mercial aviation becomes seIf-sup-
porting. By adopting such a policy
the country, in time of war, would
be enabled to expand so as to have
complete mastery of the air This
mastery is what all red blOOded
Americans desire. 1t could be
brought about directly, but only at
enormous expense. The reasonable
course, is to foster commercial de-
velopment so that civil aerial trans
port, in due time, shall form
reservoir from which the army and
the navy may draw.
Commercial Use of Planes Growing
The airplane has shown itself
practicable for commercial pur-
poses. A striking instance of this
is the aerial mail service between
Washington. d. c., and New York,
which showed = very high percent
age of efficiency regarding deliver
les and at the same time the reve-
nue. for the first year was about
$4,000 and the total expense of
installing and maintaining about
100000. Thus there need be no
clearer demonstration of the prac-
ticability and possibilities of the
airplane as this question has been
dealt with time and time again in
articles in the PRESS throughout
this country and abroad.
Assuming that the airplane is Of
commercial Importance and that we
must develop it to relieve the gov
eminent of the expense as spoken
above, how can the individual com
munity help and do their part? The
answer is to establish a suitable
landing field in or near their city
which could be converted into
small airdrome when future de-
yelopment came. The task is too
gigantic to be handled by the gov
eminent alone but it is imperative
that close cooperation and assist
ance from municipalities through
out the entire United States be
given. This matter should be con-
sidered seriously by every citizen
of the United States. 1t is to mis-