The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-24

But all of that lends the element which makes of balloon racing a thor oughly sporting proposition. Where the balloon lands naturally depends some on the skill of the pilot, but luck takes |&he biggest hand and the fellow who works his rabbit's foot the pest is the one who wins every time. Balloon men who are in Birmingham for the races are of one mind on one point. There is no reason in the world why Birmingham should not be a pal locn center for the United States army and private balloon owners. The town has the facilities and it has the field. They are wondering why Dirmins ham does not go after an army balloon base.
 What is the practical reason for free balloons and balloon racing is the ques- ton which the average Birmingham citizen is asking his neghbor. Why do they do it?
 Well, in the first place, balloon rac- ing is one of the fairest, prettiest and most interesting sports in the world" said MT Hawley. Tt ranks in the class with yacht racing except that e,3nent of chance and not skill is still more ap- parent. In the second place. it is the first step in the training of army and navy airmen, both as, aviators and to man dirigibles. The men who go into that service are made used to the air first in the free balloon, and every man l is taught to manipulate one, especially the men who enter the dirigible service. This is necessary because when the en- zine attached to a dirgible gets out of order the gas bag becomes nothing but a free balloon and must be handled as one. Also for some kinds of observa- tion purposes in time of war the free balloon has not so far been surpassed.'
 What do they expect to accomplish is another question which has been go
 ing the rounds:
 There are a number of things that they can accomplish, it seems. None of the pilots have been very definite yet but then Columbus, In a spirit of ad venture, proved once that the earth was round and incidentally discovered America. The young balloon pilots point out that they have not explored the moon yet, nor Mars either. for that matter.
 AND COMMERCIALLY
 Commercially speaking, also, how many are there who would like to sail up in the air five or six thousand feet, wait twelve hours and come down in China?
 Well, you don't have to do it. but it all depends now on the development or suitable oxygen bags or containers for the canning of good breath and the feat is accomplished.
 Just give the inventors time, they will do it. Stranger things than that have happened.
 Seriously, though, the field is all ready except for the two carloads of sand which will be used as ballast for the huge bags The sand will be placed on the grounds today. The en- velopes will be spread out Friday aft ernoon and the work of filling them with gas will be begun at 6 o'clock Saturday morning. It will take in all 1500,000" cubic feet of gas to, fill the balloons, which will be inflated at the rate of 125,0Oo cubic feet of gas per hour. The national guard cannot assist in holding the balloons as they fill with gas according to the first plans of the local committee on account of the strike situation. A number of men will be employed to take care of this situa- tion.
 Nearly every jitney in Birmingham will be at the end of the North Bir- mingham car line to take the specta- |