Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19

- dicated almost as clearly in
these days by the news
which does not appear in
the news columns Of the daily
newspapers as by the news which
achieves some degree OF perma-
nency by bathing in printers INK
Aviation news which f1ve years
ago crashed the front page today
81 lucky to find itself buried un-
der q one-line head among the
advertisements. More often than
not. It Is left out entirely, simply
because the news Of yesterday has
become the commonplace OF To-
day. ..
Secretary Of Labor, donned the
wings Of science and few from
washington Hoover Airport 70
PITTSBURGH in one of the planes OF
Pennsylvania AirlineS. Did yoN
read about that in the news col
Iln1ns? You did not. It wasn't
there. Columns such as this are
not news columns. And tnaI
doesn't mean that the newspapers
have any feud against the Secre-
tary of Labor. It means that the
Secretary has become such a con-
f1rmed air traveller and that there
are so many other air travellers
that 1t no longer is news when ne
dies.
Patrick J. Hurley, Secretary OF
war. Is another cabinet ofncer
who no longer can break into the
news by fying. He travels regu-
larly by air, and news columns
treat his aerial wanderingS TO
silence or, at best, mere whisper
on page II. Charles Francis
Adams. Secretary Of the Navy, no
longer rates space in the paper
when he flies, though he makes
use OF the airplane less than his
two fellow cabinet members.
Brown Flies Into Print.
walter r. Brown, Postmaster
General, broke into the news col
unnns the other day when he
started on an aerial jaunt to Dali
las. Tex. He did so partly because
i1e does not fly frequently, put
more because his fight was an
incident OF the Inauguration OF
the new Southern transcontinen-
tai airmail line from Atlanta, Ga.'
to Los Angeles.
When members Of Congress or
lesser Government officials ny, the
matter bitten Is not worthy OF no.
tice in the metropolitan newSpa-
perS. # the papers were 10 pay
attention to such things, IL would
he practicable to set stock head
line. Member Of Congress Flies"
and run it every day. Eighty per
cent Of the time the line would
be justified. The rest OF the time
Il wouldn't matter.
Five years ago a cabinet ofncer
could get his name and picture In
the paper any day by going for an
airpfaI1e ride. II he went for a
cross-country flight, he probably
would get two pictures and some.
thing OF his family and political
history printed, together with an
interview on what he thought OF
this fiying business, anyway. To-
day. If g member OF the cabinet
dies, the newspaper men. II tney
are interested at all, are interest
ed more In whether his visit mas
arly political significance than IN
what he may think Of aviation.
These Air Records.
Attempted record flights Of one
sort or another, which a few years
ago were treated as big news
whether or not they were success
hi. now are virtually ignored UNI
less an actual record Is made. In
this event the story may land on
mage 2. unless it Is one Of the four
major records speed, altitude, en-
durance or distance-when 1t Is
almost sure to make the front
Even the treatment accorded
aviation accidents is undergoing
some change-not a great deal,
but still some. A really serious
crash Is good for the front page
any time In the papers Of the city
where It happens, and If prom1-
nent flyer is involved, all over the
country. The general run OF av1-
alton accidents, however, Is ap-
pearing back in the papers along
with the automobile accidents,
which Is inevitable and as 1t
should be.
AS long as there is fast trans
portation. whether on the ground,
under the ground, on the water or
in the air, there viii be accidents.
The proportionate number OF &C.
cidents will grow steadily less ana
less, but still there will be acci-
dents as long as human beings
are what they are. In aviation,
the ratio Of accidents to miles
flown Is growing so small that the
average air traveller doesn't give
the matter more than passing
thought. any more than the rail-
road passenger thinks Of the pos
sibility Of a railroad wreck. The
air traveller knows that 1t is pos
gible. but not very likely, that he
will get into trouble flying on one
Of the regular air transport lines
today.
Aviation Settling Down.
And 90, while aviation people
! may cry out with a strong voice
against the publication OF acci--
dent stories, they must expect
that this will continue, just as the
publication of stories OF serious
automobile, boat and train acci-
dents will continue. A serious ac-
eident Of any kind will be news
until human nature changes. The
fact that the great majority OF
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