Evening star., 1932-12-10
AVIATION FIGHTS
ECONOMY PER|LS
Many Federal Agencies Face
Uncertainty at Hands of
Congress.

The National Advisory Committee fo1
Aeronautics, which since its creation
before the World War has been fighting
to overcome obstacles in the path oi
aviation progress, now Is waging fight
for its existence in the face of an
cripple its usefulness If not to destroy
1t entirely.
Now that the economy ak Is swinging
freely at the Capitol many Federal
agencies are facing a most uncertain
future. The National Advisory Com
nittee for Aeronautics, to which the
Government intrusts problems Of
aviation research necessary to the prog
ress Of aeronautics, is one of the
agencies for which the future is prob
lematical.
The N. A. c. A. is one of the Federal
agencies listed for discontinuance under
the program for wiping out of useless
Federal units proposed in the Senate
by Senator McKellar, Democrat, Of
Tennessee. Should the McKellar pro-
gram be adopted the Federal Govern
ment will cease all its aeronautical re-
search work except that Of purely mill
tary character carried on by the Army
and Navy and a limited amount con-
Quoted by the Department of Commerce
through its aeronautics branch and the
Bureau of Standards.
World Research Body.
The N. A C. A. after years of strug-
ton which Is recognized as one Of the
worlds greatest aviation research
bodies. To it the aeronautical industry
In the United States and the Army
and Navy refer their aviation problems
which are beyond the scope of any
laboratory but one equipped as that
maintained by the N. A. G. A. at Lang
ley Field, Hampton, Va.
If the Mcclellan program is adopted
the great Virginia laboratory with its
millions Of dollars worth Of research
equipment, including the greatest wind
tunnel and the most complete seaplane
towing channel in the world, will be
closed or abandoned.
Under the Hoover program for re-
organization of the Federal Govern
nent, announced yesterday, the N. A.
. G. A. would be continued, but would
be transferred to the Bureau of Stand
ards and the committee itself would
act in an advisory capacity to the Sec
retary of Commerce, thus tying in
directly with the work of the aero
nautics branch.
Under the budget submitted to Con-
gress by the President this week, the
FUNDS for the N. A. G. A. shave been
reduced from $500, 900 to s845,030, and
1t Is understood that efforts will be
made in the House Appropriations
Committee and on the floor of the
House further to reduce this item, seri-
olsly curtailing work Of the committee.
Opposition Expected.
The McKellar plan. in so far as 1t re-
lates to the N A. G. A., is to receive
considerable opposition in committee
and on the floors of the Senate and
House, legislative representatives Of
some of the larger aeronautical organi-
cations in Washington have, been
President Hoover, as his program for
reorganization of the Federal service
indicates, Is not In favor Of abandon
inr the work of the N. A. c. A. In
transmitting to Congress the annual
report of the committee, the President
pointed out the necessity for continued
aeronautical research work on the part
of the Federal Government,
aIn the new phase Of the industrial
are upon which the country is enter
ing" the President said, Substantial
achievements will rest largely on the
stimulation given to scientific research.
The remarkable progress of aeronauticss
since -the war is demonstration OF
the value and necessity of research.
"The National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics Is the governmental
agency for co-ordinating and conduct
ing fundamental research in aero
nautics. I concur in the committees
opinion that America should keep at
least abreast of other nations In the de-
velopment of aviation, and believe that
the best way to assure this Is to pro-
vide for the continuous prosecution OF
organized scientific research"
Existed Since 1915.
The N. A. C. A. was created in 1915
and is composed of Is members, chosen
from among the Nations scientific and
aeronautical leaders, who serve without
compensation, and a technical and ad-
ministrative staff on the Federal pay
roll. The committee Is placed at the
service of any department or agency
OF the Government interested in aero
nautics for the furnishing Of informa-
ton or assistance in regard to scien-
tific or technical matters relating to
aeronautics and m particular for the
investigation and study of fundamental
problems submitted by the War and
Navy Departments AS Is the case with
the Bureau of Standards, the COM
mittee also is empowered to conduct
research work for any individual, firm,
association or corporation within the
United States which will defray the
actual cost involved.
The committee institutes research
into problems which in the judgment OF
its members are needful for the ad-
vance of aeronautics. In this respect
the committee guides itself to large
extent by conference with the leaders
of the aeronautical industry Annually
the leading aircraft designers, manu-
facturers and users are called into con-
ference with the committee at Langley
Field and are invited to submit their
opinions as to the most important
fields of research open to the committee
for the advancement of aeronautics as
q whole From the mass of opinion SO
submitted the committee frames its
research program for the coming year.
Although virtually all the large manu-
featuring firms maintain their own
aeronautical research laboratories, there
are many problems beyond the scope
of such private laboratories, but which
can be handled with the splendid equip
ment of the N A. G. A. at Langley
Field. Such problems habitually are
referred to the N. A. G. A., and for
many Of them satisfactory solutions
have been found to the material ad-
1,oprep.apt of aarnrayItirs