Evening star., 1934-07-15

Take-OH From washington.
The 10 big planes, under command
of the veteran Lieut.. Col. Henry H.
Arnold. one of the worlds first three
military pilots, are scheduled to make
the first leg of their long trip nom
stop from washington to Minneapolis.
They will make stops at Winnipeg, Ed
monton. Prince George and White
Horse before landing at Fairbanks.
The Navy patrol planes will refuel
from Navy aircraft tenders and supply
boats, and will make q number of
stops along the Pacific Coast before
reaching their destination at Dutch
Harbor. far out on the Aleutian Island
chain toward Siberia
Despite some diplomatic flurries on
the part of representatives of certain
foreign powers who profesSed to view
With uneaSineSs these unusual military
operations along the Northern Pacific
Coast. there has been no change in
the scheduled plans, SO far as has
been announced.
The material collected by both ex-
peditions unquestionably will prove of
I kA
of national defense plans. and it is no
| secret that this is one of the important
missions to be accomplished. The
flights also will put to the severest
tests the new types of airplaneS and
equipment upon which defense lead
ers pin high hopes.
Aviation Merger Studied.
The long -agitated merger of all
Federal aeronautical activities is going
to be given a great deal of conSidera-
ton by the new aviation commission
created by Congress and appointed by
the President, which has Just been
organized here. it is indicated by the
chairman. Clark Howell Sr.
One member of the commission at
/ least will so to Europe, primarily TO
gather first-hand information of the
success of the various systems of CO.
ordination of governmental aeronautl-
cal control. Armed with all the IN
formation 1t can obtain on the gen.
eral subject of merging Army and
Navy aviation and the combination
Of military and civil air control, the
commission will lend an open ear TO
all advocates of coordination who
have anything of Importance to offer
The coordination proposals which
have been mace from time TO time
and which will be studied by the
commission range from merger of
Army and Navy aviation all the way
up to creation OF a separate depart
ment of aeronautics. under cabinet
officer. to administer affairs of civil
and military aeronauticS. taking over
aerial activities now scattered through
the Government service.
Studies to Be Divided.
During the coming weeks the COM
mission will divide its forces for in
oividual studies of a number OF the
most important problems In addi-
ton to the European studies, one
member at least will undertake a
study of the methods OF procurement
by the various governments of mill
tary sirplaneS. with special attention
TO the methods employed by our Army
Air Corps and Navy Bureau OF Aero
nautlcs. Another will study questions
Of governmental subsidies TO aviation.
An inspection of airlines sirportS and
other aviation facilities in this coun-
try also is scheduled
Two of the commission members
have little knowledge of aerouautical
problems except in a general way.
three Of the five commission members
having been connected directly with
aeronautics.
Chairman Howell. offered the COM
mission post. demurred, telling the
President that what he didn't know
about aviation would MI a book
The President replied that was ex-
sctly what he wanted Howells ap-
pointment was based largely upon his
brilliant work on the Federal Trans
portation Commission appointed by
the late President Coolidge to un-
tangis the railroad snarl.