The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-08
.KELLETT SPEAKER At C. OF C.
Representative of Big Company
Pleased With Longren Plane.
Commercial and Military Ma
chimes Differ, He Explains.

brilliant future for the >Longren
airplane. and an opportunity for To-
peka to become one of the centers
OF a new industry which will attain
the proportions OF the automobile in
dustry, are foreseen by W. wallace
Kellett. of Philadelphia. Pa. Ameri-
can representative for H q NJ Far
man, aeroplane manufa cturers and
operators of Billancourt, France
Kellett addressed the members OF
the Chamber of Commerce at noon to
day, on commercial aeronauticS and
it, possibilities.
The time is coming. and coming in
a hurry. when the aeroplane indus
try will be as great as the automobile
industry IS now" he declared The
center OF the industry will not be in
New York, nor anywhere else on the
coast. but it will be in the Middle
West. What place Topeka occupies
in that industry will be determined
wholly by what Topeka does in the
near future"
Longren Plane Is Objective.
Kellett declared that of six or eight
similar planes which are now being
manufactured in the United States. the
Longren ship is the only one which
can show a record of actual perfor-
nance. 1T is exactly the plane which
We are coming to, and coming to
rapidly" keilett asserted.
He drew the distinction between
commercial and military planes.
pointing out that the characteristics
OF the two planes are entirely differ
ent. that the commercial plane, which
is true to type, is safe and available
today for passenger and express
The military machines are not safe.
and owing 10 the characteristics which
they must have. they cannot be safe
he pointed out, but the commercial
MA 49, b.a nd sal 70 a e
mobiles
Keliett credited many of the acct
dents and fatalities which happen in
flying in the United States to the lack
of adequate air laws, and the fact that
gypsy filters" equipped with old and
worn out military planes. are doing
the passenger flying and are causing
the accidents.
Can't Make Military Plane Over.
"A commercial plane can be con-
verted. in two hours. into a military
machine he declared, but you can |
never convert a military machine into /
a safe commercial machine. Air Ii.en
will be glad when all the old military /
equipment has been finally scrapped /
and passenger flying will be done in /
commercial safe planes"
The next war will open with the /
dropping of bombs from an invading 1
fleet OF aircraft. as the declaration of
war. Kellett declared AT 10 o'clock
al night you can start transforming
your commercial aircraft into fighting /
planes. AT midnight you can have
them complete,.- In two more hours
you can have them supplied with am
nunition and at dawn OF the next day /
you can start on a bombing expedition /
against the country against which you |
have declared war Your bombs will /
be your declaration.
That is the way the next war will /
be opened. and that is the reason that
France and England are interested in
the development of aircraft, and are
subsidizing the industry"
France and England grant subsidies
to the Farman corporation which |
more than cover the operating ex-
penses of the planes. which are used i
in passenger carrying" Kellett said. |
The subsidies are even greater than
would be necessary in the United |
States to get the same things started
here"
There is now pending in the SUnited
States congress. legislation which
would regulate air travel in the United
States. provide for the qualification of |
the pilots and the inspection of the
planes, kellett said He asserted that
he hoped a commissioner of aero
nautics would be appointed this sum-
mer. and thru the cooperation OF the
state governments would make flying
safe from the "gypsies-"
AIunicipa Field n Right Step.
The establishment of the municipal
landing field in Topeka is a step in
the right direction. Kellett said. The i
next thing is TO put hangers and sup
plies there It is so easy for planes
to stop at the fields where these
things are available, and just as easy
for them to avoid them If Topeka /
wants the planes TO stop here. let her
put the hangers and supplies there.
and you will become a way station for
cross-country flyers in no time"
kellett's errand in Topeka was IN
connection with the supplying Of Far
man motors fer the planes which are
built at the LonEren Aircraft corpora
tions's factory in Oakland.