Elbert County tribune., 1921-10-14


assured. In consequence, Omaha is proudly claim
ing to be Americas most progressive aviation
center
The purposes of the congress praiseworthy.
The congress itself is likely to be of great i'm
portance.
One purpose is to bring the flyers together for
a big reunion, the first since the World War. An
other Is to show everything in connection with
aviation In order to interest the people of the
nation In flying third is to form national
air body for the advancement of aviation In Amer
ica. The big purpose is; Aviation supreme Tor
America
The formation of national air body appears
to be well under way, through preliminary organi
cations In the states AT this writing twenty-five
states forming state organizations of the con-
gress and will be represented by delegates.
That there is necessity for the formation of such
body seems hardly open to argument Rudyard
Kipling, years ago, wrote of aircraft "We are
at the opening of the opening page of the
chapter Of endless possibilities" We have read
FAR beyond that now and the march of events
forces us to keep turning the leaves If we
would keep place in the forefront of the pro-
cession of the nations.
In the opinion of those who seem hest qualified
to know, the United States has not kept abreast
with other countries in the development of avia-
ton, especially In the matter OF development OF
airways For example, the best can show in
the way of transcontnental route is that follow
ing the general line of Cleveland, Chicago Omaha.
Reno and San Francisco. The experts declare 1t
be not more than 40 per cent complete in organt-
Kation.
An essential of the success of big business is
Imagination Imagine, II you can. what the part
Of aviation in the life of the nation will be five
years from W. 1t is wonder that men of
large affairs want the organization of national
air body and want 1t now.
Omahas slogan was inspired by the Aero Club
Of Omaha, organization of 100 former pilots
and observers OF the World War. Nevertheless.
all the city is talking aviation these days Three
months of course 1t was not So Omaha was
no more enthusiastic over aviation than any other
city. When Its citizens heard an arpane droning
overhead they gazed skyward for moment. 9th
er,vise they uninterested.
Then Earl w. Porter, president Of the Aero
Club OF Omaha. conceived the idea of the
gress and went to work 1T. Now aviation is in
the blood of the citizens. They talk Of the many
phases of air travel with the noncha,ance of aces.
In other cities the people may cali anything that
traverses the air an airship. But not SO In Omaha
they rightly the word aircraft. Do you hear
blmp In Omaha7 Well. hardly. Omaha knows
that biimp is not only slang. but obsolete slang.
whereas people in other cities still applying
the word Unfortunately to all balloons. rigid
nrd nonrigid airships and lghter-than-ar craft
You catch Omahan these days saying
hydropane when he means seaplane; he knows
that the former never leaves the water. And you
and him correctly using airplane. seaplane and
alrship instead OF aeroplane, hydro-aeroplane and
diriglble You may even overhear conversation
about the captive helicopter In short everyone
in Omaha appears to be enthusiastic about avia-
tion In general and the coming congress In par
ticular
President Porter went to his fellow clubmen
They indorsed his idea and his plans and pledged
their support. They also fixed on him as the logi-
cal head OF the movement and he duly made