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The Sacramento Union Friday Morning, September 24, 1937 Army, Navy Men to Talk Coast Air Defense Aviation Authorities Urge New U. S. Regulation; Defend Dirigibles What new air defense schemes the United States army and navy air corps have up their sleeves for the Pacific coast and particularly for California may be revealed this afternoon at the second day of the western aviation conference in Hotel Senator. Army and navy "big wigs" are scheduled to discuss air defense beginning at 2 p. m., with the session open to the general public. Diagnose Ailments On the program are Rear Admiral A. B. Cook, chief of the bureau of aeronautics; Major General Oscar Westover, chief of the army air corps; Brigadier General Delos C. Emmons, commander of the first wing of the air force at March field; and Commander V. H. Ragsdale of the United States naval reserve aviation base at Oakland airport. Also during the afternoon the 210 delegates at the conference will be taken on a sightseeing tour to the $7,000,000 army air depot now under construction. At the opening of the conference yesterday, leaders of the aviation industry gave differing diagnoses of its ailments, hopes, prospects and problems. Urges Regulation From the lips of Cyril C. Thompson, executive of the United Airlines Transport corporation, the delegates from many parts of the United states heard a plea for passage of federal legislation including the principles of the McCarran act to give the interstate commerce commission regulatory powers over air transportation. Jack Frye, president of Transcontinental and Western Air Express called attention in a paper read for him to the fact that scheduled air transport carriers now must deal with five federal regulatory bodies. Heavier-than-air enthusiasts heard a challenging defense of lighter-than-air transportation by (Continued on Page 3. Col. 1) (Continued from page one) Commander C. E. Rosendahl, commander of the Lakehurst, N.J., naval air station. The United States owes it to the world, he said, not to let past airship misfortunes prevent its continued development of dirigibles. Tells Defense Plans Army air corps plans for the defense of the Pacific coast were disclosed in principle by Brig. Gen. H. H. Arnold, assistant air corps chief talking to a second luncheon group. Col. Edgar S. Correll, Chicago, president of the Air Transport Association of America, told the conference air regulation policies must be clarified if the nation is to keep its place in commercial flying. Not an advocate, he said, of more regulation, he nevertheless believed the present congress should heed the recommendations of President Roosevelt and place carriers under the jurisdiction of the interstate commerce commission. Instrument Flying Once 'Sissy," Lions Learn Personal reminiscences of 26 years in army flying were given to members of the Sacrimento [[Sacramento?]] Lion's club yesterday by Brigadier General H. H. Arnold, assistant chief of the army air corps. "When they first put an instrument on the planes the ones that used them were called sissies," the general said. "Many pilots declared they wouldn't become mechanical fliers." His brief address presented a comparison of flying condtion up to the present time. Future of Dirigibles Declared Up to U. S. There is an answer to every legitimate question which can be asked regarding the practicability of the airship, Commander C. E. Rosendahl of the U. S. naval air station at Lakehurst, N. J., told a Rotary club luncheon here yesterday. Here to address the western state aviation planning congress, the survivor of the Shenandoah disaster said the United States owes it to the world not to let its past misfortunes end development of lighter than air craft. The destruction of Germany's hydrogen inflated airship, he said is no argument against America's continuing to build dirigibles. This accident merely means, he said, that more than ever "the future of lighter than air flying rests definitely on the shoulders of the United States." After paying tribute to the "marvelous progress" made in the development of airplanes, Commander Rosendahl asserted that "we don't yet possess a heavier than air craft which can carry a payload over the North Atlantic." He praised the pioneering of airplane service between the west coast and china but declared whereas it takes a Clipper ship six days to fly from San Francisco to Canton, "a helium filled dirigible would make the trip in four days." Italy Pushes America into Feeble Second America has been pushed out of first place in the skylanes and reduced to a comparatively bad second, Charles Horner, president of the National Aeronautical association, told delegates of the western aviation planning conference. Horner took as his topic "aviation, a public responsibility," and urged governmental and popular support. He declared air transport service to Cuba, Mexico, South and Central America, China and now to Europe, "Have done more to promote international good will than generations of diplomacy." On this country's place in the air, Horner commented, "Two and a half years ago America rose to first place and held that position until the last few months. Now Italy leads by a substantial margin. Aside from Italy's great progress, Russia, Great Britain and Germany have added considerably to their victories. Back of these successful attempts we find the aid and supervision of foreign governments."
