Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28

has to be pulled out. For this particular jump
there were several amphibians ready in case
did land in the water.
To-day the law has made it necessary that if
any one wants to make premeditated jumps
from planes, he has to wear two parachuteS--
q large one that he straps on his back and q
small one on his chest This latter one is the
emergency pack. In case the big one doesn't
open, he has the small one to fall back on.
"I think that every pilot should be required
to make at least one jump. There are aviatorS
who have been flying for years who haven't the
nerve to jump. If their plane gets into trou-
bic, they prefer to take a chance and come
down with it. That's how many flyers have
been killed But once man is forced to make
a jump with a parachute his fear is conSid-
erably lessened. He may not care to jump for
the purposes of experiment or exhibition but
in an emergency he win make use of his chute.
SS1T'HE constant using Of parachutes win give
aviators as well as lay people more conf
dence in flying. They know that If trouble
arises in the air they can always resort to the
parachute. People who can't swim aren't afraid
to travel on steamers, because they know they
have lifebelts to rely on The same thing holds
true for aviation. When people know what
parachute can do for them in time of danger
and how simple it is to use, they won't be
AFRAID to use planes. BY manipulating the
cords of the chute they can avoid trees and
other obstacles and land with nothing more
than few bruises
with parachutes practically perfect and
science constantly lessening the hazards of n.y.
ing, 1t is only question of time when people
will use planes just as they now use automo-
biles. There aren't any more dangers in the
air than there are on the ground In fact.
proportionately speaking. there are a larger
number OF accidents with automobiles than with
airplanes.
II have done all kinds of stunt flying and
have never had an accident. If every mechan-
ical precaution is taken before the flight and
you wear parachute you are practically safe
The one time I had trouble I didn't have a
chute with me. A connection broke when we
were 5000 feet above the Loop in Chicago I
had safety belt on so that couldn't fan out
and came down with the plane, trusting to
luck that I wouldn't be killed when landed
Outside of breaking my nose and hurting nv
jaw, was all right hope the law viii make
1t imperative for every one who goes up in
plane to wear a chute. Even if you're so
frightened that you can't pull your rip-cord,
the chances are that the very movements Of
your hands viii do it for you
Mrs. Shoemaker first began to show interest
IN aviation when schoolgirl in Chicago. She
used to stand on the roof of her house and
watch the planes with pair of field glasses,
trying to imagine how 1t would feel to fly in
one of them.
WY PdISAiCS never me TO 20 to
the airports' she said, 'and had faint hope
of getting into flying as a career When I
completed high school 1 registered for law
course at the University of Chicago One
Summer though, got job as clerk in the
mayors office and it was there that / was
thrilled to meet Lieut.. c.. A. Shoemaker an
aviator and one of the first parachute jumpers
In the United States. Instead of returning to
school that Fall, married him. But NV
dreams OF nying were soon shattered. NV hus-
band would not allow me to fly"
However, she continued to take an intense
interest in aviation and one day she finally
persuaded friend Of her husband to take her
up. In the hope of discouraging her. he put
the plane through all kinds of stunts. But the
young woman never demurred and asked for
more. Even with that evidence of her courc
her husband did not consent to her learning
now TO ny plane AS aviators constantly
came TO her home and her husband discussed
nylng and parachute jumping with them she
was able 70 pick up much information. In the
course OF time many well known aviators took
her up and each taught her something about
flying.
THEN one day." related Mrs. Shoemaker.
decided was ready to make Jump
NO one was willing to take me up for it. but
begged one pilot so much that in order to get
rio OF me he at last consented I made him
promise not TO tell my husband. He spoke to
several OF his friends though and asked them
to be on the field ready to catch me. a.
knew all about making q parachute iurnp I
was sure could do 1t. But when looked
down from the plane, my nerve began to fail
me. since the machine was OF an old tyne
wnich collapsed easily, couldn't stand en- the