Evening star., 1934-09-30

Washington is accustomed to pub
lie hearings which are little more than
forensic displays. intended to be for
gotten as quickly as burned-out Fourth
of July fireworks. 1t is accustomed
to public hearings which are intended
to serve as safety valves for discon-
tented persons, who are allowed to
blow of surplus pressure in the form
Of oratorical steam. to the great cas-
ing of their overtaXed boilers.
There is about the Federal Avia-
ton Commission hearings. however,
no suggestion of these things. There
are no oratorical fireworks and any
one who attends them expecting
spectacular display of any kind is
going to be disappointed. The COM
mission is seeking facts only and 1t
is getting them in the most orderly
and matter-of-fact manner possible.
May Continue Month.
The commission has established a
working routine for its hearings,
which probably will continue for a
month or more. About four hours
each day are given over to the hear
ing of witnesses. Then the members
Of the commission retire to study the
days testimony, to correlate it with
the previous information they have
obtained and to digest 1t for use as
q basis for future investigation.
Each days testimony is transcribed
at once. While the commission men,
bers study it and check it against the
results of their own flrst-hand studies
and previous testimony, employees of
the commission are at work indeXing
and classifying. Before the day is
over the new information has been
classified, studied, indexed and COM
pared. 1t has been refined and made
Immediately available and useful.
Having already digested all the pre-
vious data it has obtained. the COM
mission is ready at the start of each
new days hearings to apply all of
the information it has in hand. Com
mission members are not only able
to question witnesses for the purpose
OF filling in every gap in their fund
OF information, but also to check in
stantly errors in bit of testimony.
On a number of occasions already,
though the hearings are little more
than well under way, commission
members have had occasion to check
statements of witnesses against pre-
vious testimony. This they have been
able to do instantly and thoroughly.
Within a minute transcript of the
previous testimony on the point is at
hand and the question at issue usually
is cleared up at once.
Testimony Is Pre- Viewed.
Each Of the witnesses so far heard
has been required to submit in ad-
vance Of his appearance brief sum-
marizing the information he intends
to cover in his testimony. This brief
is carefully studied in relation to the
scope Of the whole inquiry and ques-
tions prepared in advance to bring
out any particular point the commits
sion believes needs elaboration.
The result Of this procedure is the
smoothest working hearing Washing
ton has seen in a long time. The
questions invariably are intelligent
and very much to the point. There is
little superfluous motion, but the
ground is covered thoroughly.
Most of the questioning is done by
the two aviation" members of the
commission, Vice Chairman Edward
p Warner, former Assistant Secretary
of the Navy for Aeronautics, and
jerome c. Hunsaker, former Navy air.
ship and airplane engineer. Both have
served as aeronauticS professors in
leading universities in addition to their
wide practical experience. They are
regarded in the aviation world as in
tellectual leaders of the profession.
Both are keen analysts.
Coming to the Craftsmanship Of the
commission with little more practical
knowledge of aviation than many
other laymen, Clark Howell, sr., has
brought to his duties shrewd, capable
mind and an extraordinary gift OF
analyzing men and motives He al
ready has acquired an amazingly
broad knowledge of the new field into
which he has been conducted and his
questions, though not numerous, are
always Illuminating.
Labor End Studied.
Albert J. Berres, another aviation
layman, has been prominently identi-
fed with labor organizations and is
specializing on the employment angles
of the aviation industry. He does
virtually all of the questioning of wit
nesses as to conditions of employment
In various phases Of the industry-an
important field of inquiry in view of
the labor troubles which have beset
both the aviation manufacturing and
airline operation branches during the
past year.
Franklin K. Lane, jr, who served
in both the Army and Navy flying
services during the World War, is the
legal member of the commission. AS
junior member, he takes charge for
the chairman Of the preliminary in
terviewing of each witness appearing
on the stand.
The commission as a whole is work.
ing in smoothest harmony, and its
members. with their diversified ex-
perience and attainments, are proving
themselves capable of dealing with the
many-sided problems of the investi-
CATION they have been called upon to
make.
There Is a growing satisfaction in
the aviation world with the commits
sion and its activities. 1t is felt that
the duty of framing the Nations fu-
ture aviation policies has been placed
in good hands. and that whatever
the final outcome. the commission will
render splendid account Of itself.
Aerial "Grand Prix' Planned.
The Washington Air Derby Asso-
citation, in lieu of the regular monthly
flying events which it conducts during
the Summer, has announced Grand
Prix Contest" which will continue
through the Winter. starting October
and ending April 1, 1885.
The trophy, identity yet unan-
nounced. will be presented to the as
sociation member piling up the great
est number of points in accordance
with schedule just announced. The
point system Is based in general upon
flying achievement, and is intended to
be the reward for continued aviation
activity by local amateur and sports