Evening star., 1925-05-31
||AT|ON SHOWING
PROGRESS IN i. S.
o. tering Policy Of Admins
.ation to Commercial Fly
ing Held Beneficial.

ne progress of aviation in this
.untYy and the fostering policy of
the administra ton toward the air
C' 4 industry, so vital to national
ense. are set forth in report
mitted to President Coolidge.
20 picture presented with regard to
avigtion in the United States is very
,isferent from that painted by some
-" he witnesses appearing before the
ISe investigating committee, IN =
ling Brig. Gen. William Mitchell.
rhe report, which has now been
mode public. was prepared by high
c,'icials of the Government particu-
l.: ~ interested in aviation. 1t shows
It commercial aviation in the
tied States is growing; that tech
al progress in aeronauticS in the
uited States has been most satisfac-
tory: air records for performance
how the United States far ahead OF
eat Britain and France, and that
ere are a greater number of civilian
Derators Of aircraft in the United
tates today than any other country,
Coolidge Showed Weakness.
In his message to Congress trans
hitting the budget last December,
President Coolidge said: ASIDE from
me important factor of training per-
,nnel our national defense is largely
industrial problem. Today the
outstanding weakness in the indus
rial situation as ii affects national
defense is the inadequacy of facilities
10 supply air service needs. The air
plane industry in this country at the
present time is dependent almost en-
tirely upon Government business. To
Jrengthen this industry is to
'trengthen our national defense"
Congress appropriated literally for
The support of the aircraft industry
for the next fiscal year beginning
July l, the appropriations for the
construction of aircraft. aircraft en-
zines and accessories for the Army
md Navy totaling 19,193.S75. This
sum, it is held. is ample to sustain
country. The present aircraft in
dustry. however. is only a nucleus of
The industry that would be required
in the event of a national emergency.
The problem says the report
submitted to the President. lis to
strengthen the aircraft industry by en-
couraging and building up commercial
aviation and thus strengthening our
national defense.
The policy, in general of the ad.
ministration has not been favorable
10 subsidizing any industrial activ-
ity to the extent of artificially stimu-
lating that activity. The administra-
tion's policy is to create. if possible. a
healthy growth in any industrial ac-
tivity. and. with reference to COM
mercial aviation, the policy has been
that commercial aviation must pay
It's own way
The Government, in supporting
the Air Mail Service. wished to dem
onstrate the practicability of aviation
and thereby stimulate its commercial
development. The Post Office Depart
ment has successfully demonstrated
the practicability and the reliability
of transporting mail by airplanes and
has built up a ground organization.
airways and an operating personnel
that command public confidence.
Aided by Kelly Bill.
The present situation with regard
to commercial aviation has been
greatly stimulated by the passage of
the Kelly bill at the last session of
Congress. This bill gives the Post
Office Department power to contract
with private enterprise for the carry
ing of mails by airplane. Requests
for contracts to carry air mail have
brought TO the surface the fact that
men of high standing in business are
interested in putting over CONNER.
cial aviation. The need in the aircraft
industry has been for capital. and the
passage of the Kelly bill, combined
with the success of the Air Mail Serv.
Ice, indicates that this particular
need is being filed. The Post Office
Department has already invited bids
for two short air-mail routes, and il
is understood that bids will be re
quested for two longer routes: One
from New York to Chicago and one
from Kansas City to Chicago.
The experiment of a large motor
manufacturer in Detroit will be
watched with great interest. A land.
ing field has been constructed with
an adjoining factory for the manu-
facture of commercial airplanes. and
an aviation service has been inaugu
rated between Detroit and Chicago
On this trial route a daily check will
be made of the cost of the service
and at the end of a few months the
rates that would have to be charged
for the carrying of mail and express
to make the air line show a profit will
be known. Those in close touch with
transportation problems are convinced
that there is a need and a demand
for fast freight and passenger service
between large cities, and that such a
service can be operated profitably
without support from the Government
The administrations policy OF max.
ing aviation pay its own way is prov
ing its soundness by the activities
which have been inaugurated within
In act fn,r