Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


- interests of the American
people in the air-both as
regards the use Of the ether
in radio communication and for avia-
tion-is now being considered by Con-
gress. with well thought-out legisla-
ton before it.
Herein Congress is getting away :
from war and the aftermath of wars.
away from perplexing and veXing |
problems of international debts and
financing. away from intricate tariff |.
adjustments and the imperative need |
for economy In making appropri- !
ations, and projecting it's Legislative I
powers into virgin territory-making I
new laws instead of working over
old ones.
And yet these measures for radio |
communication and aviation regula- /
tions. each of which gives the Secre-
tary of Commerce authority over |
civil use of the air, have important |
international bearing and are both {;
essential parts of the military pre- !
paredness policy.
Differences Are Compounded.
White radio control measure were |
described in these columns last Sun |
day, since which time differences be- |
tween the Secretary of the Navy and !
the Secretary of Commerce over !
licensing of the Navy radio operators !
have been adjusted by compromise, and ,
the bill has been favorably reported !
II is now awaiting a special rule |
giving it right of way after the ap- |
preparation bills. with the hope that |
it will become law before the close |
of this Congress in about seven |
weeks.
Following substantially the prin- |
ciples and regulations laid down in |
| the international air convention OF |
1913. a civil aeronautics bill was in |
PRODUCED last Tuesday by Representa- !
tive Samuel E. Winslow of Massa- !
! chusettS, chairman of the House COM |!
mittee on interstate and foreign COM !
merce. This attempt to establish the /
law Of the air for the entire terri |
! toria1 confines Of the United States !
came to the attention of Congress |
coineidentally. will! the appropriation
of S270.000 for the aeronautic adj !
visory commission, over and above
about $5.0O0.OO0 for the Navy and
about SS.500,00 for the Army for eX-
EXPERIMENTATION regarding aircraft.
Doing n Valuable Work.
| Representative Will r. Wood OF In
diana. urging this appropriation for the
aeronautic advisory commission, said:
1T is doing wonderful work, not only
for the United States, but for all the
world. toward the development of flying
machines and safety appliances. There
| &c I'd
those gentlemen engaged in the flying
business of the Army and Navy. But
they are now appealing to it in every
instance for advice and counsel. We
j. are building one Of those lighter than
air machines, at a cost OF S2.000,0oO.
that is entirely under the supervision of
; this aeronautic advisory commission.
! They have done much toward strength
ening the machines to resist the peculiar
conditions that they find in sailing
through the air. and by finding the best
materials for construction. They are
developing and have under practical
! operation an engine that is going TO
use fuel oil instead of gas, as much for
safety as for economy.
With Congress advised that the sci
ence Of aviation is being rapidly devel-
oped under such expert advice, the
Winslow bill was psychoiogically intro
r duced. not only as a regulative measure,
;. development of the commercial aircraft
industry. through setting up govern
5 mental agencies which viii disseminate
= both scientific and practical information
G regarding the progress of aircraft trans
portation.
More Work for Hoover.
: These two legislative proposals-radio
and aviation-to broaden the activities
, of the Department of Commerce are
' said on very good authority to have had
r deciding influence on Secretary
Hoover's decision not TO accept the prof
fer of appointment by the President
to be the next Secretary of the Interior,
! as successor to Secretary Fall.
! The Winslow aero bill is unique in
/ modern legislative history, because it
4 deals with field heretofore untouched
by the law-naking branch of the gov
. eminent. 1t is far-reaching in its scope,
because, besides creating some new
basic law to meet the already apparent
e regulative problems OF the air and OF
, 1.-THE aircraft industry, it undertakes TO
j apply far as possible the statutes in
r respect TO land and water transporta-
: ton In the air.
81 The bill vests authority over civil
I iaeronautics in the Secretary of Com
merce and creates bureau in the
: Department of Commerce. headed by
= a commissioner, at $500 year, to
e administer the act. Provision is made
= for collaboration in aero problems be-
s tween the Department of Commerce
: | and other federal departments by
= authorizing the Secretary of Com
: merce to invite the cooperation of
the Army. Navy, Marine Corps and
coast guard through the detail Of
officers for service in the bureau of
y civil aeronautics.
0 Consulting Board Provided.
: A civil aeronautics consulting
Il board" to be composed of seven mem
bers chosen by the Secretary Of Com
e merce from the commercial aircraft
:. industry of the country, would, under
;, the terms of the bill, maintain liaison
0 between the government and the in
dustry and advise with respect to
y problems arising either in the promo
: ton of air transportation or it's regu-
e lation.
The act follows the precedent Of
I exclusive federal jurisdiction in mat
e tiers of safety inspection and naviga-
: ton of the air. In both cases of air
q craft inspection and air traffic rules
e the bill wipes out state lines and
o deals with the country as a unit.
d Paraphrasing the language of Chief
Justice Taft in the Wisconsin rate
e case, it provides:
: "Inasmuch as air navigation is
j unit and does not regard state lines,
n and the elements thereof ordinarily
I subject to regulation by the states are
. hundred thousand more than any