Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-10
BY LIsBETH SOLLING.

cluded President Wilson and his
Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
Franklin D. Roosevelt. cheered when
the first United States airmail
plane rose into the air from East
Potomac Park and disappeared
northWard over the tree tops. That
was on May Is, 1918.
The quarter of century which
has passed since the first spindly
Curtiss airmail plane, popularity
known as a Jennie" pointed it's
nose upward, has witnessed the ex-
pansion of American transport avia-
ton until today it girdles the globe
and determines the fate of nations
at war.
The anniversary will be the occa-
sion of great observance next Sat-
urday and Sunday at the WASH
ington National Airport. Cabinet
members, high Government officials,
members of Congress and leaders of
the aviation industry will attend an
anniversary banquet Saturday night
at the airport. On Sunday Federal
agencies, the Army Air Transport
Command, Naval Air Transport Ser
vice and the aviation industry will
present a day-long demonstration of
aviation progress at the airport
which the citizens of Washington
are invited to witness.
Load Increases Greatly.
The war has jettisoned tremen-
dous new burdens on commercial
aviation. Approximately 10000, 000,-
0000 airmail pound miles flown in
1941 grew to 4O,00O,0O0,000 in 1912
The 323.OO0.0O0 pieces of airmail
carried in 1941 increased to 463,-
100000 in 1912. Air express carried
in 1941 was 100000 pounds, which
more than doubled to 10000 900
pounds in 1912. Revenue passenger
miles flown in 1871 were 1870, OO0,-
900 which increased to 1898, 900, 900
in 1912.
Yet war has snatched away air.
line equipment The Army COM
Wandered 1873 planes from the
airlines' pre-Pearl Harbor fleet of
1874 craft, leaving them only 166
planes, with which to carry mani
fold loads. Operations have there
fore been intensified. The planes
prewar average of 1.138 miles per
day has been stepped up to 1925
and even 1900 miles per day.
Today War Department priorities
often keep airmail out of a plane
altogether, or kick it off at an in
termediate landing in order to load
priority express and personnel
There have been hints high in the
Post Office Department that air.
mail might be eliminated entirely
as war measure to relieve COM
mercial airlines of the extra burden
of carrying mail. Yet the airlines
would like to carry every piece of
airmail possible. They have long
pleaded with the Army for more
transport planes. AS little as six
would help, and "a or SO planes
would relieve the crisis which
threatens airmail with complete
bog-doWn on the eve of its 25th
birthday anniversary.
Two Bills Pending.
Regarding future developments in
commercial aviation, there are two
bills pending Congress on postwar
action. Chief provisions of one bill
direct the Civil Aeronautics Board
and Postmaster General to inves-
tigate the feasibility of transporting
by air all classes of mail and to
submit a comprehensive plan. The
board is further directed to inves-
tigate and report within a year
probable chronological and COM
mercial developments in air COM
merce during the immediate post
war period, and to include plans for
the sound and swift development
of our air commerce lin a manner
that will assure pre-eminence OF
the United States in the field of
aeronautics" This bill also strength
ems national regulation and promo
ton of civil aeronautics.
The other bill directs the Post
master General to institute air-mail
service without air-mail surcharge
for all first-class mail and parcel
post wherever the use OF airplanes
will speed delivery. The bill does
not require this transition to be
made Immediately, but as quickly
as possible.
Among the celebrants next Sat-
urday will be many Washington
men who helped establish the first
air-mail service Is years ago. In
the crowd on East Potomac Park on
May Is, 1918, was Otto Praeger, then
Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral, who is now connected with the
Office Of Defense Transportation;
Capt. Benjamin B. Lipsner, who re-
linquished his Army career to be-
come the first superintendent of air
mails, and who today is consultant
in the Aircraft Production Board