The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-11-09
COMMERCIAL AVIATION DEVELOP
MENT NOW OUR GREATEST
NECESSITY

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The fact that the official aeroplano
speed record of 22405 an hour went for
| the present at least, to General Bill
Mitchell because Of the fact that, when
he made his noted speed test, all neces-
sary officials foreign as well as domestic
were on hand and when Lieut.. B. l..
Maughan recorded his mark of 24S IL
miles an hour, only American army and
navy timers were on hand so that the
latter figure cannot appear as a world
record" is not Of so much concern, in
the opinion Of the editors who have dis
cussed the wonderful performances, as
is figuring out what is to be gained by
high speed Of this sort. If high speed is
necessary to the immediate future of
aviation editors agree that it is all right
but, in view of the number of noted
aviators who have been killed recently
linen that the services can i'll afford to
spare, there is a suggestion that it might
be good thing at present to curb speed
and concentrate on safety.
In addition it seems a certainty that
all records in flying are more or less
meaningless at the present time and the
Ell Paso Times wants to know where
will aviation stop?" In calling attention
to the fact that the performance of
Lieut.. L. J. Maitland, who with handi-
cap of engine trouble to overcome, COW
cred a measured course Of 156 miles at
the rate Of 203 miles an hour and did 80
miles of that distance at the rate of
216.1 was of even greater Importance.
"a coast-to-coast flight the Times con-
tinues, with one stop for fuel hardly
excites us A balloon trip across the
continent is not regarded as any unusual
feat. Humanity adjusts itself rapidly to
changed conditions. a good many of US
remember when telephones were a lux
ury. Yet today we can scarcely conceive
of existence without telephones, autos
trolleys and the electric light. Did we
ever do without them? we stop to think
There will be limitations to air travel,
of course, for a few years, there were
limitations to the automobile and the
locomotive. But 24s- 1-2 miles won't
sound astonishing to our children's chill
dren.''
This great speed is all right for the
the Chicago Tribune argues, but
from the standpoint of commercial de-
velopment the gliding experiments now
going on in England, or which recently
were made in Germany, are more impor-
tant. For commercial development, out
Of which finer improvement must come
unless aviation is always to remain a
subsidized science, we most need safety
and low costs. Safety. with caution is
virtually here. The low costs must fol-
low. Public interest and patronage will
bring them. And such sensational |
achievements as those at Selfridge Field |
will stimulate interests. That in the |
final analysis is their chief value outside |
the military" The Worcester Post char |
acterizing the flights at Detroit as |
''epochal in aerial navigation" insists |
that they also prove that airplanes of |
the near future will know hardly any |
speed limit" The Post refers to para |
chute developments in connection with |
speed tests and predicts the time is near
when the Mayor of Boston will make an
official call on the Mayor of Worcester
in ten minutes
It was, however. the auto that
ishered in the speed craze the Wilm
ngton Journal says because everything
olowed the autos lead and speeded up,
efficiency experts began adjusting the
of life to gasoline engine pace.
People began to gulp their meals where
ating had once been an enjoyable cere-
nony; enjoyable lingering on each morsel
4 luscious food. Sentimental ballads
ave way to swift moving jazz. Life all