Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-09
Smithsonian Wins Approval
In Effort to Satisfy Wrigh hit

Renewed efforts to remove the differ
ence Of opinion as to the respective
contributions Of the Wright brothers
and Samuel P Langley to the science
of aviation and to create harmony be-
tween the Smithsonian Institution and
Orville Wright meet with hearty APP
prevail from the editors of the country,
This development is accepted as appro-
pirate to the current recognition OF the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the Wr1ghts'
Kitty Hawk flights. The action OF the
Smithsonian Institution in changing
the label on the Langley machine In
the Smithsonian collection and invita-
ton to Orvilie Wright to bring his first
machine back from England are strong
ly commended. A factor in the Incl
dent is the publication OF pamphlet
by Charles G. Abbot, secretary OF the
Smithsonian, reviewing the subject.
Secretary Abbot perhaps opens the
way for getting the plane back from
the South Kensington Museum in Lon
don, where 1t now dominates the great
central room" saws the Baltimore Sun,
which feels that certainly 1t should
be in the Smithsonian, in a place OF
high honor" and remarks that the
American public is aware OF the
Wrights' status as pioneers, and Is very
proud of then-so much so that If
Oryille Wright is willing to have the
plane brought back the only label that
is really necessary is The Wright BIZ
plane"
the Chicago Daily News, that the
whole question of the credit for the
invention of the airplane be investi-
gated by an impartial commission. The
Federal House of Representatives has
passed a resolution providing for such
an investigation and the Senate Is eX-
pected to concur. 1t should not DC
dificult to establish the truth OF the
matter through the impartial testimony
of persons acquainted with all the facts
concerning the birth of the airplane."
at is evident that Mr.. Abbot wanted
| to do the handsome thing" IN this
opinion of the New York Sun, ana tha'
paper observes that, generous though
this apology may be, nobody who ha'
ever been wronged can deny that II Is
hard to greet Justice that comes a., on q,
leaden feet" The Sun recognizes thai
Americans would like to see the frs
fiving machine in its native land rather
than in a British museum"
| a. eternal fondneSs" of the Smith
sonian for. the machine produced By
prof. Langley is suggested by the New
| Orleans Times Picayune, with the COM
nent: ut was the obvious ambition
of the institution to prove the potential
success of a device created under Its
aegis. In doing so, it confused assumed
| flying ability with actual performance
and did injustice to the Wrights
It's frank avowal OF error, we
trust. may induce Orville Wright to lei
bygones be bygones and restore the
Kitty Hawk plane to Americas care
where 1t obviously belongs
ut is much to be hoped" agrees the
ST. Louis e-Democrat, that Mr.
Wright will regard the statement anc
action as sufficient to remove his OBJ.
| iections and cause him to have the
Kitty Hawk machine returned to the
United States for permanent exhibit
ton in the National Museum. What
ever honor may be due to DR.. Langley
for his experiments In aeronautics, the
fact is unquestionable that his attempt;
to make his machine ny were unsuc'
cessful. That 1t was capable OF flight
has never been clearly established, az
Or. Abbot comedies, and certainly ne
airplaneS have been constructed on his
model"
| y
IF the Wright brothers machine Is
as most Americans believe, the frs
man carrying plane in the history o.
the world" advises the Manchester
Union, that fact ought to be PLACED
beyond any shadow of doubt Not only
so, but Mr.. Wright should be induced
to bring his machine back to this coun.
try. This he no doubt would do If Q
! thorough and impartial investigation
were made and al qualifications Werl