Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-31
'ALRPLANE ACCIDENT LAID TO
LACK OF UNITY OF CONTROL
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
U.eased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1921

WASHINGTON, May 3O.-Amer-
ica's worst airplane accident, occur
ring within a few miles of the ma
tional capital, has served as moth
ing else possibly could, to accentuate
the careless way in which aviation
is being handled. Congress heard
bitter complaints about needless loss
of life when the war was on, but
no incident has illustrated even IN
peace time, the looseness Of control
which the government maintains
over the most dangerous, yet the
most important of modern means OF
transportation.
Ever since the close of the war,
the army aviators have been clamor-
ing for unified control of aviation.
They have pointed out that there are
no laws today governing landings,
no laws regulating the use of air.
planes over specified routes, no serv-
ice which warns airplanes of dam
gerous air currents, just as the Shlps
at sea are warned of approaching
storms.
Today the army has it's own avia-
ton service, the navy has another
and the postoffice department has
another. There is nothing to prevent
the department of commerce or any
other government department from
purchasing planes and operating
them just as is the case with motor
pooling of aviation experience. no
combined research, no general board
which handles the whole subject OF
aviation any more than there is IN
the government anybody which has
authority over cable and radio COM
munication.
Independent Arm In England
Other countries, notably Great
Britain, have spent huge sums for
ysa$ nd
recognized it as an independent arm
of warfare and peace-tifne utility.
1t is the irony of fate that Major
Connally. former member of con-
gress from Iowa, who was one OF
the victims of Saturdays tragedy at
Indian Head, often used to argue
that serious attacks were bound to
behind other countries If unified con-
troll of aviation were not eeta blished.
Brigadier General William E..
Mitchell, who commanded the Amer
lean aviation units in France and
who actually led them in battle, has
publicly commented on the Saturday
disaster as the direct Consequence of
one defect in Americas aviation
service-the lack of communication
between central board watching out
for air currents and storms and air
planes which may happen to be in
flight.
investigation Ordered
The jaunt of the big eagle plane
was not official 1t was not neces-
sary that the ride be taken. Indeed,
any body in the army and navy can
take an airplane at any time and go
anywhere There is no ban on super
fiuous flying and yet many of Amer
ica's best aviators have been lost
on trips that need never have been
taken.
An official Investigation of the &C
cident has been ordered. Untortu-
nately all seven passengers were
killed There is no certain way of
telling exactly what brought the
plane down, though military avia-
tors today seemed to think the cleo
trical storm did the trick. They are
convinced of this because others like
General Mitchell who were flying in
the same vicinity at the same hour
found the weather conditions an al
most insupera Bile obstacle. Friends
of General Mitchell. for instance,
were congratulating him today on
his narrow escape. and he made no
secret of the fact that he felt closer
to death in Saturdays storm than
he ever did on the European battle
front-and General Mitchell has been
decorated for bravery in, action.
Unques tionably Saturdays acct
dent will revive the discussion of
unified control and perhaps accom-
n1iSh it.