Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-15
CIVILIAN PLANES
LESS DANGEROUS
BY HENRY wOoDHoUSE
Aerial League of Ameri

President Aerial League of America
NEW YORK.-Civilian aviation
should be saved from government
control. such as has resulted in the
unwarranted destruction of $4,000
900 worth of airplanes and $50 lives
in the air service.
/ possess convincing evidence that
government control would make civil
ian aviation as hideous as army avi-
alton.
This fact stands out: Army avia-
zion has killed ten times as many
men as civilian aviation.
Only Is flyers have lost their lives
in the commercial field, while $50
aviators, observers and mechanics
have been killed in accidents in the
United States army air service.
I am writing to Senator James w.
Wadsworth, Jr., chairman Of the
committee on military affairs, urg-
ing that public hearings be held be-
fore enacting the proposed legislation
which provides for government con-
troll of all aviation.
Charges Made
AS chairman of the committee
which investigated the causes Of the
appalling number Of tragedies in the
army air service. am providing SEN
ator Wadsworth with evidence that:
In the fatalities to $50 army air
service men. 1000 airplanes and mo-
tors have been wrecked with a loss
of $5O,OO0,000.
Five million dollars can. be saved
by cancelling unnecessary contracts,
placed by the air service, for air
planes, dirigibles, balloons, motors
and other equipment.
Half billion dollars worth Of air
planes and equipment is wasting and
rotting in storehouses.
The newly ordered airplanes are
of the same kind that during the last
six months killed more than fifty
persons
secondhand airplanes have been &C
CURED by the air service during the
past year,
At least 50 of the $50 deaths were
caused by the failure to adopt i'm
provements for airpaanes.
housekeeping Of the air service
is an imperative need. It is hideous
to think of setting back commercial
aviation for many years and need
lessly killing its men by putting it
under federal control, when the pro-
duction OF commercial aviation is es-
sential to successful national de-
Tense.
Warns Senator
I quote this paragraph from my
letter, to Senator WadsWorth:
"In view of the fact that govern
ment control of civilian flying pro-
vides for government inspection and
approval of airplane types, designs,
tests, and similar supervision, it is
obviously evident that if such law
were enacted the designers, inventors
and manufacturers who are not part
of the clique. would be sub
jected to the same onerous and intol-
cradle treatment in civilian aviation
as they are now in government avia-
ton. They would be at the mercy of
the very individuals who havee made
the air service a CHASTITY mess"
I have spent twelve years in avla-
ton and as head of the Aerial League
of America l have made investiga-
lions at the request of former Presi-
dent Wilson, former Secretary of
War Baker, the department of JUS
tice, President Harding and Secretary
of War Weeks.
Why has army aviation killed ten
times as many people as commercial
aviation? The answer is obvious,
but the problem remains. And there
can be no solution unless we face
grim truth and seek to end these
evils in resolute devotion to the ma
tional duty and the national welfare.