Evening star., 1934-03-25
Amelia Earhart Speaks

certain the number of people who
travel and the amount of mail and ex-
press which flow between the points
of interest II considerable, there is
a chance for air development; If not.
ground facilities probably will sufhce
A Rational Map.
A rational airmail map OF the
United States would be simple grid
iron composed of three main trans
continental routes. with a north-and-
south route at each end and one SUD-
stantially in the center of the coun.
try. Such a skeleton could be clothed
with appropriate feeders as inter-
mediate business justifies.
However, in effecting any sucn re-
form as that. Mr.. Secretary. you Will
require political courage. You Will
lock horns with local chambers OF
commerce, town boosters, aviation
enthusiasts and Congressman. For
every community somehow wants 10
be a port of call for an airline. 1t
will take education to demonstrate
that intermittent air service just ISM
worth having, and that the local
needs of mail. express and passengers
can be better served otherwise.
For instance, under the recent set
up there were small centers off the
main lines which received one round
trip a day. II letter were airmailed
after the daily plane had gone 1t
might wait "a hourse to catch the
next one. If, on the other hand, there
were fast ground service connecting
with the frequent schedule on the
main airline the letter would be sent
on it's way more quickly.
The highways offer as complex
problems as do the railroads. Out of
the many current offerings Of trans
port experts, few definite tendencies
are predictable-if not, indeed. often
accomplished facts. There will be
through highways. skirting intermedi-
ate towns (perhaps in some instances
the roadbeds of abandoned railroads
may be utilized for this purpose). In
stead of being indifferently engineered
and paved, these highways will be OF
concrete, banked on the turns and
prepared for speeds up to 100 miles
an hour. Much of the regulation of
these interstate arteries inevitably will
come within your province, MIR. Secre-
tary Of Transportation. In the au-
tomobile division there are, In addi-
ton to buses and trucks, the great
number of privately owned cars which
must be included in your plans. It
may well be pleasure cars will not be
permitted on the transport high
ways-at least unless the drivers have
taty Inr
paid certain fees for the privilege.
The Citizen Driver.
At present so-called burden vehicles
carrying loads of every kind are,
illogically enough, often shunted into
byways. while automobiles carrying
their owners, perhaps only to after
noon tea, occupy the higher speed
parkways. Whatever the solution for
the citizen driver, he must not be
overlooked in governmental plans as
his brother of the air has been. For
it is well established that until the
present administration took Office the
private flyer was an orphan child
all direct aid being given the military
or the mail lines. The production of
a low-priced airplane as proposed by
the Department of Commerce would
be the most helpful act ever visited
upon this neglected group.
And such, it seems to me, is the
duty of government. e., to lead the
way in progressive ideas SO that pri-
vate enterprise may benefit.
Never before. perhaps, have the
potentialities Of transportation CO.
ordination been so alluring as right
now. The combining of airlines, rail-
roads, bus lines can be begun for bet
ter service to the public and better
protection and means of profit to the
carriers. The relationship of all to
, the Government is extremely impor-
tant, inasmuch as too much regula-
ton and red tape will defeat the pur-
pose of the Department of Transport
tation.
Especially is this true in regard to
aviation, for it is the youngest mem
Der Of the family and should not be
restricted as are the hoary railroads,
lest it be dwarfed before it reach ma
turity. I hope that in the future ade-
quate pay for service will be the order
of the day and that airlines and
buses and trucks, If regulated by
your department, may take it for
granted that they will receive the
privilege Of carrying the mails as a
matter, of course, on that basis.
Sincerely yours,
AMELIA EARHART.