Evening star., 1931-06-27

General approval Is given to the
complaint, uttered by President Hoover,
Of the low flying by airplanes at the
Harding Memorial dedication. The
spirit behind such plotting is a subject
of condemnation in editorial discussion
on the basis that these acts not only
constitute a public, nuisance. their
motors drowning out the voices OF
speakers, but are q distinct menace to
the lives Of persons attending. such
gatherings.
Planes overhead have added much
to the pageantry of outdoor ceremonies
and celebrations" says the Philadel-
phia Evening Bulletin, but they are no
longer a novelty. and flyers will readily
agree to rules that will better protect
assemblies and prevent annoyance at
outdoor ceremonies" While the Bulle-
tin believes that "the air traffic rules
governing flying over cities and crowds
of persons were made to guard citizens
against the airplane itself and did not
consider the element of annoyance in
roaring propellers and motors, nor
danger from objects that might be
dropped" that paper finds logical OBJ
lection to the annoyance.
Reviewing instances in its own city
of similar violations of established
rules, the Charleston CW. Va.) Daily
Mail states that there has been great
improvement and the offense has not
recently been so apparent as formerly. -
1t adds that "the danger comes when
there are celebrations, when there is a
showing of and when stunts are the
order of the day and when there is the
usual laxity that follows having a good
time" The st. Paul Pioneer Press
holds that, in the case Of the Harding
dedication, the President "calls atten-
ton to an aviation stunt that is in the
category of public nuisances," recalling
that many a speaker. has struggled
through an address punctuated by the
frequent interruptions Of a zooming
airplane''
IAN parts of the country have wit
times" declares the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette, charging that "the stunts COM
planned Of are plainly inspired by a
mere desire to show off, similar to
that of the small boy who cannot be
controlled before visitors" 1t advises
that "the majority of pilots might aid
In reforming the comparatively few
offenders by treating them in that
light
President Hoover and former Presi-
dent Coolidge were both handicapped
in their addresses at the dedication, IS
AYERS the Worcester Evening Gazette,
adding that Mr.. Coolidge "is said to
bothered" and concluding: "AirplaneS
did it. They flew close over the
speakers stand. You could hear them
over the radio; the din must have been
terrific at Marion; it must have pre-
vented many of the spectators from
hearing all the speeches. There is a
law prescribing attitudes at which avia-
tors are supposed to keep above any
city. But, even with such laws, an
aviator can be a nuisance. The drone
of air motors Is often disturbing to the
peace. We do not permit automobiles
to operate freely with their exhauStS
barking like machine guns. The muf-
f1ers detract somewhat from the power
of an engine, also There's no reason
why aviatorS should not be made SUBJ
ject to a similar handicap"
"It would be unthinkable," argues the
Rockford Morning Star, for motoriSt
to drive his car through police lines to
the platform where the Chief Executive
of the country was speaking, yet es-
sentially the same bad taste and disre-
gard of safety or dignity was committed
by the planes that few over Harding's
tomb. There should be definite regula-
tions governing the operation of air.
craft over public gatherings, not only
for reasons Of safety, but for reasons OF
decency as well. Airplanes are not
such a novelty that people who 60 out
to hear President Of the United States
speak desire to have attention distract
ed by the antics of airmen."
\ X
"These airmen," contends the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer, should have known
the President was present, and that, as
the head Of the Government, he has the