The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-18
PRESS COMMENT
America Should Sustain Aviation.

America sSnouto sustain AVIATION.
The British proposal to grant an
annual subsidy of 100000 to support
and encourage civil aviation has the
recommendation Of the air ministry
and the endorsement Of the public,
following similar action by France.
The first shock that British civil avia-
ton received was the marked reduc-
ton in rates Of travel instituted by the
competing French companies. So great
was this that the British organizations
could not compete and live.
In petitioning for assistance the
English aviators pointed out that craft
being flown under the Union Jack was
out of date. Aviation is a science
which travels rapidly these days, and
what was considered extremely ad-
vanced two years ago is obsolete to-
day. To maintain a carrying company,
putting into practice daily the latest
inventions that experience has proven
to be practicable, the Britons contend
that state aid is required, and that to
enable the country to maintain an adj
vanced position in this ultra modern
activity. liberal subsidy should be
forthcoming Immediately.
The action in France, and the pro-
posed change Of policy in England, are
not being ignored in this country,
where the keenest interest is manifest
ed in the conquest of the air. While
federal subsidy for private enterprise
has never been popular here, there is
unanimity of belief that the nation
itself should. in practical way, con
tinue to evinee interest in the question
and keep the nation we'll to the fore
in the science. To be sure It Is doing
much in maintaining an air service in
conjunction with the postoffice depart
'ment, while the army and navy are
comparatively active, but there is OPP
portunity for the accomplishment of
much more.
The army air service is busily en-
gagged in charting air highways, pro-
viding convenience and safety precau-
tions for aerial travellers, and other
wise developing air routes, but landing
parks should be created in desirable
localities where aerial equipment
would be available. Meanwhile, activ-
tiles of federal aviators, the develop
ment of greater safety and the intro
duction of tested devices naturally en-
courage private enterprise. By show
ing the way, establishing air routes
and demonstrating the absolute prac-
ticability Of maintaining a regular
service, the government is doing al
most as much to stimulate civil avia-
ton as though it bestowed a substan-
tial Observation-Disclosures Times.
Movie Censorships.
One of the many objections to a
Of iy,c ,i<,f, tel
that it establishes forty-eight state, to
say nothing of dozen or so colonial
standards Of taste and morals. One
state would condemn a picture as an
agent of depravity instigated by the
devil-another would see in it a dis
tinct and valuable moral lesson.
And the fact that one state con-
demned it would give it a morbid pres
tige among the salacious minded of the
other. To illustrate this point locally,
suppose Lakeland had a board of CEN
sors, with "blue" proclivities. while
Tampa had none. A picture, barred
from this city, would go to Tampa
and 'norate it around" that it was so
"cute" the Lakeland people wouldn't
even let it be looked at. Nearly every
body in Tampa would crowd the pic
ture house, and a goodly fraction of
Lakeland's population would have
business in the second city" on the
night Of it's appearance.
1t won't do. We have had a surfeit
of censorships, in this country already.
We already. and always, have the only
kind that is of real value, the privi- |
lege of each person to censor and re-
fuse, to see anything that doesn't suit
his fancy or comport with his notions
Of decency. The screen can be puri- |
fled In one way only-by the cultiva-
ton of public taste which approves
clean plays and rejects unclean ones.
1t is not job for a salaried commits
sion. or vote-hungry politicians or /
meddlesome police agents, but for the
clean minded men and women of the
country to perform at home
We have a national board of censors, |
the general uselessness of which is |
attested by the demand for state and |
local csnsors. Why not approach the
problem by some pathway which does
not involve the abandonment of free
and democratic principles Lakeland
Telegram.
Your Town.
Your town must be the best town in
your section; in fact it must be the
best town in the best state in the !,
United States, and you needn't stop at
hat. /
Your town ought to be good enough !
20 register on your mind every time
you think of another town, and see
LII