The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-11-15
Especial Correspondence

aRR~'AAt wi tTRtAh1At0t
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Travel by air
is now of daily occurrence and con-
sideration must now be given to the
problems of the mex two or three
years, during which time aerial trans
portation will be afforded by schedule
on many lines within the United
States. The long-distance routes will
be covered by large, swift-moving
dirigible balloons, while tho shorter
distances will be accomplished by
aeroplanes. These large dirigible
balloons will cut the present time OF
travel in half. This mean that with.
IN the next two years the Chicago or
st. Lolis business man will be hop
ping aboard a large, l~uxuriously APP
pointed dirigible about seven o'clock
in the evening and, after a quiet, in
v%igorating, restful sleep, be able to
be among the downtown New York
offices at eight o'clock the next morn
ing. All noise and racket and dust
of travel On the earth is gone, sup
planted by smooth, swift passage
through the air.
That the dirigible balloon is techni-
cally perfected for immediate appli-
cation to this work is beyond ques-
ton. Hundreds of hours in the air
to the credit of sustained flight for
lighteI-than-air ships and out of these
many hours in the air during the war,
under most trying conditions, this
type of craft did it's bit; and not in
any case of a lighter-than-air ship
bt irg brought down, was the cause
due 20 any technical weakness or i'm
rracticability. In fact, lighter-than-
air craft would have given unquestion-
able victory to whichever side had de-
veloped them to a point of refinement
of construction detail now perfected
and possible. Undoubtedly this now
realized military advantage will cause
the United States to foster in some
way or other the development of
commercial dirigible transportation
as a part of a necessary preparedness
program.
Great Britain and Germany are both
bending every effort to become SUI
preme in this field and are already
operating dirigible balloon passenger
lines on a paying basis. These two
countries realize that to whom the
prestige belongs in this new field will
have practical commercial control of
the world. 1t is hoped that the far
sighted and progressive business men
OF the United States will consider the
fact that the world looks to them al
ways to initiate and do better that
which the rest of the world tries to do,
and that they will not fail in this case
where the gauntlet is so Enthusiastically
thrown down to them by foreign pow
ers, and especially an enemy.
1t would be impossible to enumerate
the advantages of lighter-than-air
aerial transportation and also to at
tempt to open to view the amazing
and enhancing fields that it opens up
for development. Suffice to say that
to a person with even limited foresight
a statement that the earth could be
circumnavigated at the equator in ff-
teen days will set off a sufficient train
of thought for the present. Places
hitherto consider inaccessible are
brought into contact with the rest of
the world, and new industries and less
crowding of existing centers of popu-
lation will result from the new and
rapid means of communication. Per-
sonal contact is now possible between
manufacturers and importers and
their sources of supply or markets.
In short, we have acquired the answer
for the near future to our problem of
keeping up with the constantly grow
ing rush and impetuosity of business.
There is already an overwhelming
demand for aerial transportation by