New Britain herald., 1927-10-29
tRy Frank J. Carmodyl


 When the metropolitan mo'orlst drives around the block a dozen times looking Tor parking place, or when hc is caught ineytricably in a traffic ian, caused by the fact that ll.oo0 automobiles are trying 10 gor throu-0 street built for }50 horscdraUD vehicles, ho has lj,tic respect for the foresight O. his |orsfathors who laid out the street -ystcms Of our modern cities.
 Will this motorized citizen. how yer. make the same mistake in re- gard to the airplanee Will he fail 10 provide today the airport that will be so imperatively needed to- morrow? Will his community be one that is years behind the pro cC ssiou because jt has no facilities 10 bring 10 its doorway the form Of transportation that will develop so amazingly from this point forward :?
 To Become Big Factor
 These are questions being asked by government officials whose view point is npreiudiced by any selfish ends. They base their queries upon facts that they hold 10 be obvious that the airplane is 10 become a mighty factor in American trans portation and that 10 achieve this status 1t must have ports of land- ins just as ships need coastal havens and automobiles need good roads.
 The airplane must have an air port. The fact is established. Who ls 10 provide 1t? This question has been answered emphatically by Sec retary of Commerce Herbert Hoover whose department holds a guiding hand over the development Of civil aviation On this point, MT Hoover says tersely:
 Hooycr's Statement
 "The provision of airports must be the responsibility of local govern- monts.'
 Mfr. Hoover's expression is echoed by almost every observer qualified 10 speak on the subject of America's s aviation needs. As result. It seems unanimously agreed that the municipality must provide for this form of transportation just as il has provided for the motor vehicle by the building of good and, where possible. widor streets Tn taking care Of the airplanc. however, the community will have to provide an insigniticantly small sum as com pared with it's expenditure for modern thoroughfares, For q city or tOh. .0n0, an airport probably will cost from ss1o0 GOO to sl50, ,000.
 Municipal Port Problems
 Those alive to aViatlon's promise ,'a"lare that provision of an airport -. a problem that every municipality '.oulI tarl-le immediately. Two -r the factora in tFis need for Cclor- 5tv are that the longer th" delay the ~rantnr will be the difficulty en- ..orurernd in obtaining proper site eYd tNn greater will be the cost Of 'hrt site
 Roco@oizing the need Of munich oal officials for authoritative data 10 guide them in their consideration "f this important problem, federal officials have devised specifications for various types of airports based upon a far-rcaChing, study of oTlSt- ing establishments of the kind throughout the country. The sc lection of an airport it is obvious, cannot be left 10 chance without having q decidedly prcjudicial effect upon the development of the com munity as an aviation center II is a task requiring an acute sem" or needs and values, and to facilitate the development of this sense the Bureau of Aeronautics Of the Dc partment of Commerce offers its full assistance 10 the municipal planning commission or similar agency that ia charged with the responsibility of providing q city or town with q stopping place for air traffic.
 What Is an Airport"
 What is an airport The suc- cnctness of the departments definition provides th" community official with an excellent starting place in familiarizing himself with the subject. An airport is described as "any locality. either water or land. which is adapted for the land
 0aiein HonkiosI Ma