The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-31
AIRCRAFT MEN
PRESS DEMAND
FOR REGULATION
Congressional Legislation
Needed as Barrier to
Recklessness.
WOULD DRAW CAPITAL
Credit, Insurance and Ma
tional Defence Are Involved
in Question.
WOULD DRAW CAPITAL

Ahnss< every industry in this coun-
try is hampered, in the opinion of the
men who are engaged in 1t. by null
tiplicity of laws Railroads, factories.
mines and various other activities of
the nation are all carefully and, so
harassed business men say, even
harmfully regulated. The average
manufacturer would rather face a
strike or a panic than any more Con-
gressional activity in his particular
business
There Is in this country, however,
one industry which does not fear Con-
gress, which, in fact, courts the at
tention of that body and earnestly de-
s;res legislation in it's field. This field
is that of the air.
Ten years ago aviation was carried
on by a few young men generally con-
sidered queer" in their various neigh
borhcods.. who rislSed their skins and
rudimentary heads in alleged flying
machines Of their own construction.
In the opinion Of the great bulk Of
the public at that time all the legisla-
ton needed by aviators was few
commitments to asylums.
Barrier to ReckIessness.
But now aviation is an everyday
means Of transportation. II is a system
of transportation the speed of which
has in many instances supplanted rail-
road trains as carriers of mail, the
sureness of which is such that Euro
pean diplomats noted for conservatism
employ it for long journeys and the
commercial possibilities of which are
now recognized by the establishment OF
air lines in every civilized country on
earth.
The madhouse theory of legislation
has passed away. But, strangely enough
no other has followed it. An aviator
in a plane Is as free from the restric-
lions of law as the bird he overtakes
and passes in the air. And aviators
being humans, should not be above the
law and sometimes they show their
humanity by abusing their privileges.
II Is the contention of aircraft manu-
facturers and aeronautical engineers
that fiying is safe. But. unfortunately,
the general public will not believe this
because there appear in the newspapers
too often accounts of accidents to air
planes. The popular conception of an
airplane accident is complete and sud-
den dissolution of the plane in the air
AS matter of fact this type of acct
dent has pre- cticallv never occurred. The
accidents which do take place are due
almost always to recklessness on the
part of the orera tor. carelessness in THE
inspection Of the plane before flight or
poor landing fields.
England Prevents Accidents.
Naturally 1t Is the hope of all whose
lives are bound up in aviation to dc
away with these accidents. They can
only be prevented here through legisla-
ton, aviation experts contend. They
have been done away with in England
where legal control of airplanes is an es-
tablished part OF the laws OF the land
and they can likewise be stoned here
Instances of mishaps indicating the
need of regulating aviators are OF con-
tinual occurrence. Recently at Forest
Hills, which Is within the limits of this
city. An airplane flew back and forth
very low over a tennis tournament
on the courts of the West Side Tennis
Club. The spectators were decidedly un-
easy as the plane roared past again and
again. Suddenly something went wrong
with plane or pilot when the machine
was only a short distance from the
ground. Before control could be recov-
cred the plane crashed to the ground, but
fortunately not into the stand Pilot and
observer were killed. Had they been
higheS the accident would not have oc-
Cured. for the pilot could have regained
control of his machine, and had his
motor stopped could have glided to a
landing Place where repairs could have
been made.
Although fhnaa vn I'M IN
the conquest of the air desire legislation
they are decidedly apprehensive concern
ing municipal and State regulations
Planes have way OF crossing States
while trains are crossing counties They
are small now, but may easily grow In
size to equal many steamships. To be-
effective legislation must be of national
and Indeed of international character
like that regulating the railroad and the
steamship. This type of law will not
only be effective and enforcible but Will
also be Of advantage to the industry. II
is utterly Impossible for n fiier to carry
in his head the conflicting regulations OF
the various States and cities he passes
over, but he can obey a single, universal
code. The regulating law too must be
an elastic one which will meet changing
conditions due to the rapid progress OF
aviation.
Federal Code of the Air.
In order to get the best thought in the
United States on the subject of regu-
lating fliers THE NEW York HERALD re-
quested the opinion of several of those
who have done much for aviation in
this country. and who have studied this
question as well as the many others con-
nected with safe commercial flying. A
startling unanimity of thought among
these experts is apparent They all be-
iieve In national and international regu-
iation.
Two things are urgently needed "a
HH 81