Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-14
U. S. Payment to Operators
Would Be Put on Basis
Similar to Railways.
DEFICITS THREATEN
AVIATION, HE SAYS
Fixed Rates Per Mile for Definite
Weight Space Are Suggested to
Supplant Pound System.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND Ohio, January 14.-The
rate scale and airmail system of the
Post Office Department would be
changed by recommendations outlined
here today by Postmaster General
Brown.
For the first time, the Postmaster
General gave his "yardstick' of airmail
compensation, which would supplant a
system in which one carrier receives as
low as 8 cents, and another as high as
SO a pound.
Numerous conferences between postal
authorities and airmail contractors have
been held during the past few months
in Washington with a view to working
out rate "yardstick."
U. S. Would Concentrate Aid.
Under the system suggested today by
Brown, the Post once Department
would concentrate its exceptional aid
on essential routes, those that have
been travelled by OK team, pony express,
railroad and auto" and would use planes
as it now uses trains, at fixed rates
per mile for definite weight spaces.
Declaring Cleveland IAN appropriate
place to take an inventory of aviation
Of today, and to hazard guess for the
future" the Postmaster General
sketched the growth OF the airmail to
its present status:
1.-TWO hundred planes and $50 expert
pilots engaged; IS contractors over the
regular routes aggregating l4,368 miles,
flying approximately 40,500 miles each
"a hours, about so per cent of which
is flown at night"
Life of Business i'm Balance.
The Postmaster General told of the
ACCOMPANYING acceleration in the COM
mercial flying business and its apparent
serious results.
THE public poured Its hundreds of
millions of dollars into the aviation in
dustry," he said Factories sprang up
and air lines were inaugurated, some in
accord with the best practice, others
less we'll considered But the experience
With q paying load of only Is to 40
per cent Of capacity, all closed the year
with operating deficits SO great the life
of the passenger transport industry to-
day is in the balance"
He declared this was because the air
enthusiasts forgot that children must
creep before they walk, and must toddle
from chair to chair before they engage
In marathons. The American public, he
flying from coast to coast before any
considerable number Of people had made
sightseeing trips over their native
towns.
He added, however, that the situation
is one that properly occasions the deep
est public, concern, and set forth his
opinion as to what the Post ONCE
Department should do toward solution.
Pound Payment Is Held Unsound.
IN our judgment, the method Of
determining the compensation of air.
mail contractors must be revolutionized, !"
he said. The system of paying by the
pound, regardless of distance travelled,
is manifestly unsound. Such system
compels the contractor to gamble on
the volume OF mail he will carry and
creates an inducement for him to swell
his volume by unethical practices. He
is obliged to make his flight whether
the Post Office Department furnishes
him with one pound or thousand
pounds of mail, and he should there
fore be paid a just consideration for
his readiness TO serve, as we'll as for
service performed"
He then set forth q definite recon-
mendation by the Post Office Depart
ment, amending the airmail act to
authorize the Postmaster General to
contract Tor the transportation OF mai
at fixed rates per mile for definite
weight spaces, the base rate not to
exceed 81 per mile for 1900 pounds OF
mail capacity.
He suggested the establishment of
a schedule providing, perhaps. for the
payment of so cents per mile for q
weight space of 100 pounds, with in
creased compensation for increasing
weight spaces, until the maximum of 81
per mile for $500 pounds of weight
space is reached. He advocated adding
a proper factor for night flying, flying
over mountains. and flying over ter
ritory frequently covered by fog.
This system. he said, would greatly
increase airmail service to the public
by permitting the dispatch of airmatl
on regularly scheduled passenger flights
1t also would enable the Post ONCE
Department to give immediate assistance
to the air passenger carriers on such
routes as were deemed essential, by
paying for carrying the mails q sub
stantial sum- based on definite weight
space pre-empted, the Postmaster Gen
efal added.