Evening star., 1934-09-24
ROPER STRESSES
AVIATION NEEDS
Coordination of Military
and Civil Air Activities Are
Urged on U. S. Commission.


anticipated by the general public, in
cluding scheduled transoceanic serv-
ice and air transport development of
Alaska must be considered by the
Federal Aviation Commission in its
work of framing a Federal aviation
policy, Secretary Of Commerce Roper
and officials Of the Bureau Of Air
Commerce said at the opening of
public hearings today by the COM
mission.
Among the proposals submitted to
the commission were the co-ordina-
ton OF military and civil air activ-
tiles, expansion of the aviation re-
search program of the Government,
application of in railroads and other
forms of transportation to the rapid
ly-growing aviation industry, the study
Of transoceanic airship service, re-
organization of Government aviation
activities, including transfer of the
Weather Bureau to the Commerce De-
partment, and the immediate con-
struction of a model civil air term
Inal for Washington.
Elliott Roosevelt Present.
Before a distinguished group of
aviation leaders, among them Elliott
Roosevelt, son Of the President, who
made his first public appearance here
as vice president of the Aeronautical
Chamber of Commerce of America,
Secretary Roper appeared as the first
witness to open hearings, which are
expected to continue almost daily for
a month or more
1t was learned that the appearance
of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, who
had been scheduled to appear before
the commission next week, had been
postponed indefinitely because of the
recent developments in connection
with the kidnapping of his baby.
In opening the public hearings,
which follow many weeks of first
hand investigation by members of
the commission, in the United States
and abroad, Chairman Clark Howell,
sr, said: THE President. Congress
and the public are impressed with
the idea that something must be done
to stabilize the aviation industry and
let it know where it stands with re-
W IlIC N1ONCL anu "leIe
the Government stands with relation
to the industry"
After he had explained that the
commission must submit to Congress
on or before February l definite
recommendations as to future avia-
ton policy. Secretary Roper advocated
that the commission be made a per-
manent body to supervise the appli-
cation of its recommendations.
Roper pointed out that air COM
merce in the United States has ad-
vanced phenominally, even during the
depression" and that this Govern
ment now operates a greater length
of Federal airways than the combined
mileage of all the other major coun-
tries Of the world.
Surface Only Scratched.
Despite this progress" he said.
I'VE have only scratched the surface
and it Is the function of this COM
mission to hasten the day when the
public can take full advantage Of the
possibilities afforded by aeronautics. ="
Secretary Roper, commenting on the
difficulties of the Army Air Corps in
handling the emergency airmail sit
uation last Winter, suggested that
closer coordination of Army and Bu-
reau of Air Commerce activities be
brought about and that arrangements
be made for the Army to take over
the 20000-mile national airway sys-
TEN and its personnel in case of war
1t was shown that the Army did
not have the proper equipment or
experience for handling the airmail
emergency and that there is room for
a closer coordination of activities.
Roper said the people of Alaska are
more air minded today than the peo-
pie of the United States. AS result
of his visit in the territory this Sum-
mer he said that plans are being made
for installing air navigation facilities
there and predicted that the next 10
years will bring astonishing develop
ments there.
He urged establishment of an avia-
tion school in the territory and urged
the commission to consider a perma-
nent policy for development of the
territory from the standpoint of civil
and military air needs.
Urges Model Here.
Construction of a model airport for
the National Capital was advocated
by Assistant Secretary of Commerce
Ewing Y. Mitchell, who declared that
Washington Airport is obsolete and
unsafe. He recommended the use of
East Potomac Park as an airport
which not only would be accessible
to the city, but also suitable for use
by land planes, seaplanes and am
phibians.
Other witnesses heard during the
morning were Rex Martin, assistant
director of air commerce for air navi-
CATION, and Maj. R. w. Schroeder,
chief of the bureaus airline inspection
service.