The Washington times., 1920-05-26

agement and protection as VIII en-
| able Ii to compete with similar IN
dustries in other countries Tor the
aerial commerce OF the world. The
greater the share in aerial transport
which a nation obtains the less VIII
be the military aircraft burden.
| "This was officially recognized as
| far back as 1917 by both the BRUSH
and French governments. The Brit
ish parliamentary committee on civil
aerial transport found Cost what
II may. this country (Grest Brittany
must lead the world in civil aerial
| TRANSPORT for the commercial air
| craft of the future will bear the same
| relation TO aerial defense as the mer-
| chant marine has borne to the grand
| fleet.
French Program shown.
an April, 1917. NJ. D'Aubigny,
| president OF the aeronautical subcom-
mittee OF the French army, wrote a
letter to NJ. Daniel Vincent. under
secretary OF state for military aero
nautics. indicating the manner In
| which the entry OF the United States
into the war could best be utilized to
help aeronautics. After recital OF
all the things desired, he wrote: 1t
is necessary to also hold account in
the negotiations Of this other fact.
that the war has given birth to
new industry to which we owe in the
national interest to reserve for after
the war a vast market by limiting In
whatever. measure possible the com
petition OF foreigners This is
literal translation from History of
the Aerial War published in La Vie
Following out this policy of re-
serving their own market for them
selves, both England and France ex-
clude foreign competition
"And they have gone further.
"Al1 the belligerents ended the war
with a considerable amount of sur
plus aircraft material. How to dis
pose of this to the advantage of the
government without bringing disas-
ter to the British aircraft Industry
was a problem which the British gov
ernment solved speedily and easily.
Having in mind their policy to lead
the world in civil aerial transport.
"The result was the formation of
the Aircraft Disposal Company, head
ed by Frederick Handley Page. Ac-
cording to the British aeronautical
journal, the Aeroplane, approximately
10000 airplanes and between 10000
and 10000 engines, which cost the
British government between $780,
900, 900 and s150, 100000 to manufac-
ture, were turned over to the Hand
ley Page syndicate for G1,000.000. or
less than 1 per cent. In the contract,
however, II was stipulated that the
British government was to receive so
per cent of all profits. Thus the en-
terprise assumes an international
character of profound significance.
Now, it has been printed in the
public press of this country that the
Aircraft Disposal Company contem-
plates the early dumping of at least
$500 airplanes in the United States.
The State Department reports that
between May 4 and May IL nifty
seven airplanes with engines were
invoiced out of London for America.
So you see the material which Eng
land hopes to dump into this country
is actually on the way. Indeed, l am
Informed that some of IL already has
arrived-and has been sold. 1t is
stated that DH9 airplanes, which cost
the British government more than
$4,000 to make, have been sold to
purchasers in this country for $1,50o
and others proportionately.
Must Safeguard Industry.
1T is not asked to safeguard the
industry from legitimate competition.
as represented by postwar CONNER
cial development. But it Is asked to
safeguard the industry from the
dumping into this country OF obsolete
models at a fraction OF their cost. III
the elaborate dumping plans are car
ried out il means that the airplane
manufacturers in this country will
have to get out of business, so far
as commercial aviation Is concerned.
"If the planes used in the develop
ment of commercial aeronautics are
not made in our factories, our aero
nautical industry will only exist for
such orders as the Government may
place for military types. The result
will be high prices for such machines
as we buy and the slow development
of the art.
Industry Liauidnted.
"The maintenance on small,
reasonable and economic scale OF a
basic aircraft industry in this coun-
try, became a question of national
Importance.
"But today, we find the American
aircraft industry practically % per
cent liouidated and employing about
800 men. Capital inevitably has fol-
lowed an economic law and has gone
into profitable enterprises. We have
struggled against the most disheart.
ening odds and American aviation Is
today in a more critical position than
ever It Is conservative to say that
not more than 1000 airplanes are to-
day In actual commercial operation
in the United States, and that by far
the greater portion of these consists
- 20 HQlWQRNd
from tho surplus left over from the
war.
Aviation makes such . univcrra1
appeal that n In comparatively easy
to raise capital by popular subscrtp-
tion for new aeronautical enterprises.
One or the perils OF the present situa-
tion lies in the fact that II is easy
10 capitalize enthusiasm and public
spirit and provide money for the de-