Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-27

American aviation experts who met
recently at Washington found that the
country was disposed to support their
demands for greater uniformity in State
laws as a means of contributing to
safety in the air. Comments by the
press on the aims of the conference
give evidence of cooperation in the
present campaign.
1t is pointed out by the st. Joseph
Gazette that various States have
enacted contradictory measures" and
that Tines of differentiation between
Federal and State jurisdictions are not
clearly marked; six states have no laws
at all governing aviation" and that
other conditions adverse to flying are
found. Reviewing the complaints that
were voiced at the conference by SEN
ator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut
president of the National Aeronautical
Association; A. G. Barber Of the Ala
bama State Legislature and Chester w.
Cuthel, former chairman of the Ma
ttonal Bar Associations Committee on
Air Law, that paper adds: THAT some
kind of workable order, more satisfac-
tory than that which now exists, will
result, can safely be predicted. The
penalty of disorder IS too great
Capt. Frank M. Hawks is quoted by
the Detroit News as stating that flying
across q State or two will not mean
much when air transportation gets its
full stride; that "in terms of air
travel, the United States already has
been reduced to the size of Delaware"
The News comments: THE figure of
speech of this distinguished flyer aptly
conveys the tremendously enlarged point
of view coming with the progress of
aviation. Delaware is one of the small
est States, yet the improvement in
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velopment of air travel reduces the
entire United States to the proportions
of Delaware by comparison with the
earlier methods of covering distance.
Obviously, then, unless the wings of the
flyers are to be clipped, their passage
from State to State must be facilitated
by every possible means. Reason would
dictate that State regulations should
measure the newly enlarged vision and
should vary as little as possible from
those enacted for the entire country.
The time cannot be far distant when
the air lines will be subject to public
utility commissions and with full status
of common carriers"
X X y x
Col. Lindbergh's decided stand
against diversified regulations governing
air transportation" impresses the Mil
waukee Sentinel as confirming the
opinion of most people that uniformity
in this direction is highly desirable and
necessary" The Sentinel continues: LAS
Col Lindbergh says, the worth of air.
craft will be measured entirely by their
ability to do away with the barriers of
time and distance. Already the air
lines span the United States, and the
colonel sees in the near future 12-hour
mail schedule between the Atlantic and
Pacific Coasts. From that to regular
international communication is but
step and one which will doubtless be
Adoption of uniform rules all over the
world will mean much when aerial
transportation shall become a common
place of everyday life"
1.-THE man in the air." according to
the New York World, "in a single day
may fly over dozen States and land
in half a dozen. He may not always
known some kinds Of weather he GER
tainly will not always mow-what State
to know what State he Is over; not
otherwise can he know whether he
may fly at 500 feet altitude over towns
or 900 feet, or at any height he wishes.
Some States, like Connecticut, have
carefully framed regulations for airmen.
Most of them have not. The need Of
something like uniformity of air codes
aviators increases and the Improvement
of planes and navigating instruments
adds to the speed and multiplieS the
daily mileage of the shoals of machines
along the great air highways. The mat
ter should receive prompt attention in
the States that have been backward in
air legislation. Some OF the States may
still have few pilots of theirsown, but |
all of them lie in the path of pilots from
other States, whose way should be |
cleared Of law confusion"
y y ~
PROCEEDINGS In the conference are * |
pected by tha Fort Wayne News-Sentifkel |
to add to the probability that many u /
the State legislatures will enact addf@ l
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