, 1921-10-13

cleS, 10 lne point WHere SUCCESS 10
assured. In consequence, Omaha is proudly claim
Ing TO be Americas most progressive aviation
center.
The purposes of the congress are praiseworthy.
The congress itself is likely to be of great Inn
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. A third is to form a national
air body for the advancement of aviation in Amer
lea. The big purpose is: Aviation supreme for
America" .
The formation of a national air body appears
20 be well under way, through preliminary organi-
cations in the states. At this writing twenty-five
states are forming state organizations of the con
gress and will be represented by delegates.
That there is necessity for the formation of such
a body seems hardly open to argument. Rudyard
Klpling, years ago, wrote of aircraft: 1--WE are
at the opening verse 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 on turning the leaves, II we
would keep our place In the forefront OF the pro
cession of the nations.
In the opinion of those who seem best 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 we can show in
the way of a transcontinenta route is that follow
ing the general line of Cleveland, Chicago, Omaha,
Reno and San Francisco. The experts declare it
TO be not more than 40 per cent complete in organt
Lation.
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 Ave
years from now. II is no wonder that men of
large affairs want the organization Of a national
air body and want il now.
Omaha's slogan was inspired by the Aero Club
Of omuhn, an organization of 100 former pilots
and observers of the World War. Nevertheless.
all the city is talking aviation these days. Three
months ago. Of course. II was not so. Omaha was
no more enthusiastic over aviation than any other
city. When It's citizens heard an ~airplane droning
overhead they gazed skyward for a moment. 9th
erwise they were uninterested.
Then Earl w. Porter, president Of the Aero
Club Of Omaha. conceived the idea OF the con.
gress and went to work on IL. Now aviation IL I'm
the blood OF the citizens. They talk Of the many
phases Of air travel with the nonchalance OF aces.
In other cities the people may call anything that
traverses the air an alrship. But not so In Omaha
they rightly use the word aircraft. Do you hear
blimp In Omaha7 Wei. hardly. Omaha knows
that blimp is not only slang, but obsolete slang,
whereas people In other cities are still applying
the word in~discrimlnotely to all balloons. rigid
nrd nonrigld airships and lighter-than-air craft
You never catch an Omnhan these days saying
hydroplane when he means %seaplane; he knows
that the former never leaves the water. And You
end him correctly using airplane. seaplane and
airship instead of aeroplane, hydro-aeroplane and
diriglble. You may even overhear n conversation
about the captive helicopter. In short. everyone
In Omaha appears To be enthusiastic about avia-
ton In general and the coming congress I'm par
ticular.
President Porter went TO his fellow clubmen.
They Endorsed his idea and his plans and pledged
their support. They also fixed on him as the logi.
head OF the movement and he was duly made