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every way the development of commercial aeronautics at home, are even assisting the home aeronautical firms in exploiting fields of other nations. The Aeronautical industry of England and France, with the assistance of their Governments, has sent airplanes and flyers to China, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, and many other countries for the purpose of introducing their product. Not only have they done this, but they have also established five branch offices in the United States - that is, offices for five different firms. 

These countries can afford to sell their products at less than the cost price in order to keep the industry at home, the idea being that, if they furnish the airplanes for the other countries, in case of war, the home country will have a big industry built which can be immediately turned into maximum war production on minimum notice, while the countries who have purchased their planes will be absolutely without an industry and with planes that may or may not be adapted to military use, and, even if adaptable, statistics have proven that the average life of an airplane in war is two months, while in peace it is eighteen months. 

France and England have been lending every possible encouragement to the development of commercial aeronautics, and, to this end, France pays one-fourth the original price of every commercial plane bought by a French firm and pays 1000 francs a year towards the pay of the pilot who operates it. It is understood that England has adopted like measures. These counties, it is understood, have assisted in every way the matter of locating airdromes, furnishing reports and starting mail and passenger routes. 

This has been possible for the reason that they have had a De[[?]]trent of their Government especially charged with the development of aeronautics, whose duty it has been to foster these attempts at commercial aeronautics. 

The question arises as to how commercial aeronautics can be made a success in this country. It can only be done by the Government cooperating with every city and town for the purpose of setting aside a municipal landing field to be used in common by federal, municipal, and commercial aircraft. Experience has taught that about 90% of the accidents and crashes occur by forced landings or by poor airdromes and recent tests have shown that it is a rare occasion when a motor stops dead completely without some signs of failing previously. It is a rare occurrence when a motor, after the first signs of failing, will not have power enough to go at least fifteen or twenty miles farther. It is to be seen that, if such is the case and airdromes were established at every town of any size throughout the country, which would only mean a minimum output of money, aerial accidents to a large extent would be eliminated. 

The Government cannot expect any commercial firm to attempt to establish its own airdromes throughout the country. It is entirely too expensive a proposition, and, at the same time, it is not for the best interests of the country for the reason that airdromes must be made upon the same status exactly as good roads. They must be a public service. If the Government permits commercial firms to select their airdromes now throughout the country, these firms will naturally pick the very best available, and in a few years the public will be paying these commercial firms for the purpose of landing on their airdromes, whereas, as a matter of fact, it is a strictly governmental duty to provide for the common welfare in this matter. 

The United States is happily situated for the development of commercial aeronautics for the greatest thing that the airplane has to sell