Evening star., 1922-03-12

measure of exoneration from the limi-
,tation of liability shall be extended
as in the case of vessels on the oceans.
X X x X
The purpose of this article Is to
point out briefly to the average
reader some Of the practical and
pressing problems which the growth
of aviation >present. and which the
Wadswor tn Hicks bill. or any similar
bill, brings to the front. This brief
study will be confined to the COM
mercial side of the problem of avia-
tion.
At the outset, it must not be un-
derstood these problems are entirely
novel; they are somewhat new In the
United States because this. country
has been very slow in the develop
ment of commercial aviation. Many
of the problems now for the first time
are brought to the front in this coun-
try by the presentation of the Wads-
worth-Hicks bill, but were consider
ed in Europe twenty years ago. Nu-
merOus aviation conventions have
been held, and efforts have been
made to embody set of internation-
al rules and regulations. perhaps a
beginning of international law in this
regard, to govern and control COM
mercial aviation. These various con-
ventions were the result of the rapid
growth of commercial aviation in
Europe.
There are regular aviation routes
for passengers and freight from Paris
to London, Brussels. Amsterdam.
Prague, Warsaw and Bilboa (Spain) !;
from London to Paris. Brussels and
Amsterdam, and between Hamburg,
Bremen and Berlin. One aviation
route lies from Paris to Morocco.
Egypt and Asia Minor, across the
Mediterranean sea.
France, Great Britain. Germany.
Holland. Rumania and Belgium are
granting government subsidies. In.
1920 France granted a subsidy of 3d.
215, 900 francs for civil aviation. Eng
land gives bonus of 25 per cent of
operating receipts to commercial fly
ers. Eleven foreign countries. in
Guiding Canada have air boards, su-
pervising all commercial aircraft.
X, x *
For the first time, our lawmakers
have reached the conclusion that the
federal government must take the
initiative in the matter Of control and
Jurisprudence of the air, before state
governments develop short-sighted
and repressive policy and enact laws
through ignorance and irritation.
Already thirteen states and the Ha-
waiian Islands have enacted laws gov
erning aviation to a greater or less
degree. These laws resulted, doubt
less, from the experience of states
with the 1000 civilian planes in the
United States, carrying 225,000 pas
sengers in 1920 and flying 100000
miles. It is estimated that American
planes in the United States and pos
sessions flew about 100000 miles in
1920.
In seeking federal control legisla-
ton to regulate commercial aviation
the first problem presented is, Who
shall control the air spaces over the
land and the rights of way in the air
where they cross different peoples
land? The proposed bill gives the
Department of Commerce the right
"to lay out air routes" What is the
Lpower of Congress to legislate for
navigation of the air over private
property?
This question has been vexing the
authorities and experts in Europe for
more than twenty years. 1t is suffi-
cient to state that some authorities
have followed the ancient rule that
ownership of the land carries with 1t
ownership to heaven and hell" as
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