Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-22
American Flyers Adventure
In Japan Seen as Precedent

The plight Of the American flyers
Pangborn and Herndon in Japan, where
they have been fined for photographing
japanese Notifications from the air,
has been followed with interest In the
American press. Placing full credence
in the statements of the pair, opinion
here is that their violation Of inter-
national ethics was unintentiQnal, but
is none the less deemed regrettable.
Gentlemen in atrplanes should be
careful where and how often they aim
their cameras" comments the Oakland
Tribune, which notes that after having
been the center of attention as partici-
pants in flying attempt to circle the
world in record time, the American air
men appear now in somewhat en1bar-
RAISING roles" The Pittsburgh rOst-
Gazette Is inclined to consider "Japan's
treatment Of Panghorn and Herndon,
American aviatorS who recently ADAM
doned their attempted und-the-world
flight" as presenting "a sharp contrast
TO the festive welcomes usually accorded
gallant adventures the world over" and
this paper AYERS that the incident oc-
casions surprise and some indignation in
this country. 1t appears to the average
American that the Toxic authorities are
making a mountain out Of mole-hill,
and mahciously affronting two Of our
fellow citizens whose worst crime was
thoughtlessness, thinks that paper.
On the other hand the Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin says: Suppose two
japanese airmen were to cross the PACING
in their plane, or, being here by courtesy,
were to secure plane and hover over
our coast fortihcations. and later were
to be found In possession OF exception
ally good photographs Of important
items in our scheme OF national defense.
Would there be any suspicious OF
Japanese plotting or any show OF racial
prejudice against these friends across
the Pacific, who, according to diligent
propaganda, are accused OF being
jealous, If not actually in enmfty?"
Answering its own question, this paper
declares that the chances are that
American public opinion would have
been nightly stirred and American
Government officials would have felt
compelled to make quite as much fuss
about the incident as is being made in
Japan"
s. + -
THE trouble which has befallen
Panghorn and Herndon will put all
other aerial travellers on notice that the
use of cameras above certain military
zones is forbidden, not only in Japan,
but in most other countries" states the
Baltimore sun, which, however, con-
siders that Eat the same time it may
serve TO remind the great public which
has no direct contact with military mat
tiers or with aerial travel that both the
policy of military secrecy and the at
tempfs to invade it are trifing and naive
idiocies with which sensible people
should have no traffic" It must be
acknowledged, according to the Cincin-
natl Times Star, that governments as a
rule take the activities Of alien planes
very seriously. The airplane is the best
vehicle that has been devised for the
work Of espionage" 1t states. for in a
quick fight over fortified area an
aviator can strip a fortress OF its secrets
defense. That Is why governments make
the photographing Of fortified areas a
penetentiary offense." it concludes.
Even so, the Minneapolis Star con-
sisiers that filming Herndon and Pang-
born for flying over fortified areas seems
a stupid faux pas on the part Of the
Jauarese. to whom the matter of good
win with America should oyershadow
the silly suspicion they were being spied
upon, II win create inimical feeling In
Japan and may even revive in this
country those hoary and haif-baked
ruTnors about q Japanese invasion and q
yellow peril this paper suggests. The
Omaha World-Herald exclaims. THE
silly season should be called on IN
Toxic and the Roanoke Times char
acterizeg the incident as exceedingly
unfortunate, particularly 50. coming as
II does. on the eve of the Lindbetgas'
fight 70 Japan on q mission OF inter-
national good will" The Rockford
Rerister- Republic agrees that playing
around the forttfications Of another