Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-16
The Rapidan Air Conference.

President Hoover probably did not
this week end because of current events
in the sky, but it happens to coincide
with a number of outstanding achieve
ments in aviation at home and abroad.
Capt Hawks record breaking Cali
fornia-to-New York airplane fight; the
new endurance mark set by Jackson
and O'Brine at st. Louis and the land
ing in England this morning, after a
fast, though not quite record-smashing.
crossing of the great British dirigible
R-100, are all proofs that progress in
the air is inceSsant and apparently IL
limitable
1t is with view to achieving a higher
degree of aviation efficiency in the
United States, primarily through avoid
ance of uneconomic duplication, that
the President has assembled at his camp
in Virginia all the Government officials
concerned with aviation. The Assistant
Secretaries for Air of the War, Navy
and Commerce Departments, as well as
the Assistant Postmaster General in
charge of the airmail, are on the Rapi-
dan. With them is Col Lindbergh, who
yesterday at simple White House cere-
monial received at Mr.. Hoover's hands
the special congressional medal award
ed him two years ago for his immortal
hop from America to France 1t is a
conclave Of the national air talents that
is gathered at the Rapidan White
House.
The Presidents immediate objective
Is to unravel the decade-old snarl be-
tween the Army and the Navy over the
'shore rights" Of their respective air
services. In nutshell, the controversy
is the result Of the Army's desire to
shove naval aviation "off the beach"
and compel the sailors to confine their
flying to above-water areas The Navy
insists that certain shore activities,
especially training, are indispensable If
its purely sea defense duties are 10 be
performed. A mass of evidence and
argument. pro and con, has piled up
on both sides Of the sQuabble Knotty
legal problems are involved-so mex
tricable, apparently, that not long ago
the Attorney General declined to give
an opinion when the Secretary of the
Navy sought his Intervention against
alleged departmental excuses by the
Secretary of War. Thereupon the buck
was passed to the President, and the
Commander in Chief, in turn, has
asked the Bureau Of Efficiency to ex-
plore the economics of the issue on
their merits. Purely military aspects
viii be tackled later.
1t may be that before light energies
from confused situation Uncle Sam
may decide to look further into the
question Of separate Federal Depart
ment of the Air. The idea has been
often advanced and the experience Of
European governments with air minis
tries" cited. SO much and so rapid
progress is being made in aviation,
literally from hour to hour, that it is
obviously illogical to dogmatize as to
the infallibility Of any one system Of
cir administration. What is good and
practicable toeay may be bad and
cbsolete tomorrow.
AS to the pending quarrel between
the Army and Navy over @shore rights :"
each Of the services must relegate its
prejudices, its jealousies and its ancient
rivalries, and bring itself to remember
that what Uncle Sam demands is the
very best system of military, naval and
civilian aviation that can be worked
out. That is the sole consideration. All
others are unworthy of serious thought.
To put American airmanship on that
bass should be President Hoover's goal,
let the chips fall where they may.