Evening star., 1933-01-15

WIcCESQ plduGS through miles OF
Those SO men, whose tropic- -thinned
blood could not blunt the first keen
edge Of January wind in Washing
ton, with bomb and gun had saved
Marine Infantry patrols from over
whelming forces of bandits, had dropped
food and ammunition to beleaguered
columns and had bruoght hope and
reinforcements to comrades in arms
who found the going below very heavy.
The duties OF the Marine planes in
Nicaragua were many and varied. Aside
from their combat duties, they engaged
in relief work, particularly after the
Nicaraguan earthquakes, and served as
| mail men, freighterS and haulers of
passengers and equipment. They few
10000 hours, carried 6,500,000 pounds
Of freight, ranging from rations, guns
and ammunition, to ice, Fordson trac-
tors and native donkeys. In addition to
regular aviation personnel, they trans
ported 81 1000 passengers, including Ma
rtne Infantry reinforcements and pa
trols, wounded and officials Of one sort
or another.
Regardless of the opinion any one
may hold as to the soundness or the
unsoundness OF the policies which took
our Marines into battle in Nicaragua, it
must be admitted that they discharged
their duties there with a splendid eff
cheney. 1t Is a chapter which will read
well in any military history.
Stolen-One March.
Ludington Airlines, in announcing the
opening on January % of air passenger
service between the National Capital and
Nashville, Tenn, through a virgin
country $50 far as air transportation is
| concerned, has stolen retaliatory
march on Eastern Air Transport.
The story goes back to the inaugu-
ration of the Ludington passenger SER
vice between Washington and New
York three years ago. Paul DOG" Col
the Ludington service and won them
selves lasting names in air transport
history, laid their plans carefully and
well. They had no competition, since
Eastern Air Transport, then operating
| on the coastal run, carried only mail.
A few days before Ludington's OPEN
ing Of service, however, Eastern Air
suddenly, without more than a days
warning, dug up a tri-motored trans
port plane and put on passenger
service paralleling the Ludington route.
Since that time growing competition
has existed between the two hnes-a
COu4PCL4tlOl1 WHICH has caused lie EOSb
Once Department moments of un-
easiness and which has figured in con-
gressional hearings.
The tables have been turned. Both
lines have been casting eyes on the
Western Virginia and Tennessee terri
tory for two years. The first actual
steps toward opening of service in that
territory, however, were taken about
two months ago, when Eastern Air
Transport sent two big Condor passen-
ger planes down the route, stopping at
all the cities en- route, in a rather
ostentatious surveying and good wil'
trip.
Ludington's announcement Of service
came without warning, out Of a clear
sky.
I'VE are entirely serious about the
Nashville service" said James M. Eaton,
president Of the Ludington system:
I'VE feel that the service is needed and
that the new line will be the answer
to a real demand"
Service at first is to be operated ON a
basis Of three round trips week, re-
quiring about six hours for the $50
miles, including regular intermediate
stops at Roanoke, Bristol and Knox
vile and flag stops at Charlottesville
and Lynchburg. Planes will leave
Washington at 1880 am. Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, returning on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Tri-motored planes viii be used and
VIII carry two-way radio, a departure
from Ludington policy. Radio beacon
service will be available from Depart
ment Of Commerce stations at Wash
ington and Nashville, as will radio
weather information. The service is
"a lAcn vail fnvze 20
the West and South at Knoxville and
Nashville.
The service will give the National
Capital its sixth air transport route
and will reduce by many hours the
travel time to region as yet new to
air transportation.
College Park Active.
Despite the bad weather of the past
month, student pilots at the College
Park Airport, College Park, Md, put
In nearly 19 hours of instruction and
solo time during December. There now
are eight students under instruction at
the College Park field, which was the
scene OF the first regular airport in the
United States. One of the students is
a woman, Miss Grace Reizer, head
nurse at the University of Maryland.
=. In addition to its student activity.
the Maryland field is the scene of con-
siderable private flying. Seven private
airplane owners, all living In or near
washington, now keep their planes
Robot Tunes Radio.
A very successful and capable robot
mas been designed to fly an airplane on
given course. Such robots have been
In use for some time in various parts
OF the world. Now the idea is being
carried further and a robot has been
devised to automatically tune an air.
plane radio telephone set to different
wave lengths and to regulate the vol
une instantly, all Of which is a great
boon to a pilot who has his hands full
attending to other duties,
The radio controlling robot, devised
by engineers Of United Airlines, Is being
put into service on planes of the trans
continental service. In the past, when
changing wave lengths to conform with
regulations Of the Federal Radio Com
officials Of the airline said. 1t
was necessary to land an airplane and
make the adjustment by hand. The
new development enables pilots Of
planes In flight to shift from one wave |
length to another by means Of the au- |
y n al -