Evening star., 1932-02-28

YOu, anu l. c11l1 GA41O NFAAJ AZ
glad to join you, in any resolut
Investigation, but we have this
An investigation such as you i
months"
The committee heard complaints that
the Post Office Department in awarding
airmail contracts and extensions has
stified competition and tended to builo
up a monopoly; that it has ignored in
dependent operators who have begged
to carry the mail at rates far below
those now paid that it is favoring GER
tain companies and destroying others.
The committee also heard Postmaster
General Walter F., Brown defend the
policies of his department, express the
opinion that there was no just cause
for complaint and invite an investiga-
ton.
Brown told the committee that he is
considering an increase of the airmail
postage rate, now cents an ounce, sug-
gesting Z cents an ounce as proper
rate, in an effort to build up the deficit
He also intimated that he is considering
further reduction Of pay to contractors.
The committee reported bill carry
ing $19,000,0o0 for domestic airmail
service; a reduction of S1,0O0,000 below
the budget, and $7000,0 900 for foreign
airmail service.
Increased Airmail Urged.
Though it is the opinion of officials
of the Post Office Department that in
creasingly large quantities of mail will
travel by air as air transport services
improve and expand, recent proposals
that all first-class mail be flown are re-
garded as somewhat premature. Now
the department has before it a proposal
Ia& foTa tpia oil 1NA
local firSt-claSS mail from number of
leading cities be transported by air,
with later expansion of the plan if sue
cess is realized
The proposal has been offered by
Ernest L. Jones, who left the aeronau-
tics branch of the Department of Com
nerce to become affiliated with the
aeronautical magazine, Airports and
Airlines.
Jones claims that the Post Office De-
partment will be able to contract with
air transport lines for the flying of all
non-local first-claSs mail at rates ac-
tually less than those now paid for joint
rail and air transportation.
Such step, he stated, also would
mean tremendous growth of the aero
nautical industry and stimulation of
every allied industry, with benefit to
OllC NdblO1l do d WllOlc. AT ledSU ~
airplanes would be required to handle
the first-class mail volume, Jones esti-
mated.
"The production Of such an air fleet"
he said, would entail the expenditure
Of more than billion dollars and would
result In the employment Of thousands
OF pilots, mechanics and others connect
ed with the air industry. The resulting
reaction of such employment and in
creased production in the aviation in
dustry would, 1t Is pointed out, mean
corresponding increase in every indus
try In the country allied with it."
Swelling of the volume of airmail
would permit reduction of the pound
rate for carrying the mails by air from
the present average of $5.13 per ton
pile to 40 cents per ton-mile, Jones es-
tamated.
Money Saving Foreseen.
'.rhe S,297,54s ton-miles Of airmaiI in
the fiscal year 1884," he explained, pro
duced $5.13 ton-mile, or a S16,943, ,606
revenue to operators. The 85 5,225, ,952
ton-miles Of all available domestic non
local f1rst-class mail, at 40 cents a ton
mile, would produce revenue to oper-
ators Of $4,000, ,280, twice the present
revenue and S7,oo0,000 less than it now
costs the Government for both rail and
air transport"
Oficiais Of the Post Office Depart
ment feel that until the airmail service
can be made as independent of weather
conditions as the railroads the present
railroad mail organization should not
be disrupted.
At present, they pointed out, when
airmail planes are held up by fogs and
impossible flying weather, the mail is
put aboard the regular mail cars worked
IN transit and made ready for immedi-
ate distribution at the point of delivery.
Should all f1rst-class mail be taken
from the railroads, the f1rst-class mail
car facilities would be abandoned, and,
in case the airmail were held up these
facilities no longer would be available
for emergency use.
With this point in mind, William
B. Mayo Of the airplane division of
the Ford Motor Co., has concurred with
the proposal OF Jones.
1T Is my strong belief" Mayo said
that practically all f1rst-class pas
sengers will be carried by air within q
very few years. I am also Of the optn-
ion and belief that all Of our first
class through mail will ultimately be
carried by air at very low rate and
In one-half to one-third of the time
now taken by railroad travel.
THE statement is often made that.
although air transportation is very
promising it is not very reliable. There
Is some ground for this statement at
this time, although the most reliable
air transportation companies have rec
ords that equal SO to 95 per cent. Ap-
plying these records to air transporta-
ton, it means that at least e5 per
rent nf the -
nation three times as fast by air as by
rail. The public should be highly
pleased with a service which brings
them this volume of their mail in ap-
proximately one-third Of the time. even
with the other 5 per cent arriving as
slowly as the railroads can bring it."
Group Gets New Planes.
The famous 1st Pursuit Group, Sell
fridge Field, Mich, now is taking deliy-
cry OF some 30 new pursuit planes of
three types, which will thoroughly
moderniZe its equipment, supplying its
squadrons with the last word in Amer
1can fighting planes.
Fourteen Pee Curtiss Hawks Of the
type which recently hung up an all
time speed record between Wright
Field, Dayton, Ohios~&nd the National
NdpICdI, nave Deen received unQer q
contract which calls for delivery of
"A planes of this type. The new Hawks
now are being received at the rate of
approximately per week.
Fifteen Selfridge Field pilots. under
command Of Capt. r. c. w. Blessley.
recently few Is new P-12E Boeing pur-
suit planes to the Michigan field from
Seattle, Wash. Under the new aIlot-
ment, Selfridge Field is to receive q
total Of % planes of this type. They
are refinements Of the type used by
the squadron of Capt. Harry Johnson
recently in the first squadron high
altitude, cross-country flight, in which
II planes few from Selfridge Field to
the National Capital at an average
Speed of anrroYinn q telu onn ,,nilas mar