Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-18
AIR RACE SHIFT
TO CANADA SEEN
Commerce Department Ban
on Atlantic Flight Raises
Proposal.

confronted by the dictum Of A.
sistant Secretary OF Commerce ].
Monroe johnson that there will be
no race" from New York to Paris this
Summer, French aviation authorities
are considering transfer OF the start.
ing point Of the race to Canada.
according to an Associated Press dis
patch from Paris
Johnson reiterated his statement
late yesterday that, although details
OF the means to be employed in
blocking the start OF the race from
within the United States have not
been worked out, he Is determined
there shall be no race.
Formal notification OF the decision
OF the United States Government to
ban the propose race because of the
risk Of needless loss of life" was
made by the State Department to
the French Embassy yesterday after
noon.
Opposes Thrill Flying.
such . race" Johnson repeated,
would involve extraordinary hazards
and would be an invitation to dis
aster. 1t Is the function Of the Com
merce Department to make aviation
safe and to take the thrills out Of
flying"
Asked whether the Commerce De-
partment would be able to prevent
foreign pilots starting In the race
from the United States. johnson re-
peated that the details had not yet
been worked out and emphasized his
statement that there will be no
race"
The Associated Press reported that
after Johnson's ultimatum had been
delivered In Paris there were rumors
that plans we're being considered for
transferring the start Of the event to
some Canadian point to remove 1t
from Jurisdiction Of the Commerce
Department.
johnson said 1t will be the policy
OF the Commerce Department to es-
tablish minimum standards for air
craft, pilots and equipment partici-
pating In flights involving unusual
hazards Only when the Commerce
Department is satisfied that there is
. very great probability that the flight
will be a success. he said, will such
undertakings be approved.
Aviatrix Has Permit.
He said that Amelia Earhart Put
nam already has 4 license for her
projected flight around the world, de-
layed because Of An accident in TAX
ing of from Honolulu recently on
the second leg of the trip.
Since that permit already has been
issued" johnson said. she probably
will be permitted to go ahead with her
arrangements. Personally, however,
am opposed to her making the flight,
and hope she will not try it again.
She Is much more valuable to avia-
ton right here in the United States
doing nothing than she would be ex-
posing herself to the hazards Of such
q flight"
johnson said it was the goal Of the
Commerce Department Ito make fly
ing as safe as railroad transporta-
ton" Any flights which involve I'M
necessary dangers, he said, will be
frowned upon by the Commerce De-
partment.
He pointed out that as late as 1880
railroads were considered unsafe and
many people refused to ride on them. :"
1t was more than third of 4 century
before the railroads established them
selves in the public confidence al
though they were undertaken as COM
mercial enterprises from the Begin
ming. Aviation, he said, did not en-
ter its commercial phases until after
the World War and therefore has
progressed as rapidly as the rail-
roads in establishing itself.