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DANVILLE'S BIGGEST NEWSPAPER
DANVILLE COMMERCIAL=NEWS.
"THE PA
THAT
DOES THI
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VOL. LIII.-NO. 103    DANVILLE, ILL., FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1918   ... PRICE THREE CE
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SAYS WILSON WILL WIN RACE TO GOAL IN FRANC
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The World Magazine and Story Section

Copyright, 1916, by The Press Pub. Co.
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 1916.
(NEW YORK WORLD.)

SAFETY FIRST RULES OF THE DEATH-DEFYING LAWS

© BY AMERICAN PRESS ASS'N 
Rodman Law, the aerial daredevil who "takes no risks." 

Looping the Loop Fifteen Somersaults in Succession Is Perfectly Reasonable, Sister Ruth Declares, If You Know the Feel of Your Machine and Are Not Nervous-As for Being Safely Shot Out of a Bursting Balloon in Mid-Air, Why, That Is a Mere Matter of Mathematical Calculation-Brother "Rod" Can Prove It.

By Norah Meade.

To the average spectator of aviation stunts, Ruth Law is a wantonly reckless young lady whose death may be not only imminent but even a matter of indifference to her.
And to a normal man in the street, Rodman Law is little less than a lunatic whose mania is the making of daredevil records.
Yet to talk to a member of the Law family is to receive an uncomfortably convincing impression that not only are they quite safely sane, BUT THAT YOU YOURSELF ARE RATHER ABSURDLY HYSTERICAL.

RUTH LAW declares that her loop-making record is fifteen somersaults in succession; that her usual drop is 5,000 feet; that in the matter of cartwheels, she can go twice wing-over-wing without a halt; that a mile and a half is her longest flight upside down; that her altitude record is 11,200 feet, and that she hopes to do 16,000 very soon.
Yet when you venture a heart-felt congratulation on her escape from extinction so far, she looks surprised and observes blandly:
"But, you know, stunt flying is the safest flying. that's why I do it.'

YOU look to brother Rodman for an admission that he at least has been lucky beyond mortal expectation-that a man who has been precipitated without injury from a blazing balloon 1,000 feet to earth, owes some gratitude to the god or goddess of chance-and you are met with:
"I never in my life undertook an enterprise that contained any element of risk."
"Risk," says the dictionary, "is the chance of encountering harm." Judged by this definition, the Law family could not seemingly be declared cautious. I challenged Miss Ruth Law to prove that they abided by the law of "safety first," and it must be confessed, she at once contradicted her brother chum.
"Oh, I do think Rod takes chances," she admitted, "though he says he works out all his stunts to the last detail. But I never took a chance in my life."
Then, seeing her audience still incredulous, she became extremely severe.

RUTH LAW is a fair-haired, rather bronzed young beauty whose eyes are as blue as the skies she soars in and whose smile is sunny as a summer's day. But when she began this explanation, or rather this apologia pro vita sua, the sunniness vanished and you found yourself confronted by a decisive young woman who reminded you vaguely of a strict schoolma'am.
"Why, it's perfectly reasonable," she declared. "The only way to be entirely safe in the air is to be prepared for all contingencies. That's why stunt flying is the safest."
Her pupil being dull, she was forced to elaborate.
"For example once when I was flying in very uncertain weather the wind 

"Rod" Law shot from a high-angle gun--"I do think he takes chances." admits Ruth.

Dropping like a plummet from the firmament is safe enough, if worked out mathematically beforehand.

Miss Ruth Law, who can fly a mile or two upside down, and whose favorite sport is volplaning 5000 feet.

caught my machine and practically turned it upside down. If I had not been accustomed to flying in that position, what should I have done"
No answer.
"So you see, it is perfectly reasonable. If you know the feel of your machine and are not nervous, you run no risks. And for every accident there is an adequate explanation.
"Beachy was killed volplaning 5,000 feet. I do the same every day, and nothing happens. Why? Because my machine is the proper make for the purpose. I am very careful, when I curve into the level, to go gently and gradually, so that the sudden change in the air pressure may not cause the wings to be crushed. That's the only danger in volplaning-my favorite sport."
For looping she gave an infallible recipe, according to her experience: DROP AT AN ANGLE OF FORTY-FIVE, KEEPING YOUR ENGINE FULL SPEED AHEAD. A perfect loop should be accomplished in eight seconds. For cartwheel and for upside-down flying, you have only to use your rudders properly and keep the engine going full blast.
Quite simple, you see, and perfectly reasonable. No excuse for accidents, when you have the recipe.

BROTHER RODMAN can give one, too: The business of being an aerial artist, of scaling skyscrapers, being shot into the sky or dropping like a plummet from the firmament, is a mere matter of mathematical calculation, a steady nerve and a clear brain.
Anybody with sufficient gray matter can do mathematics. Any 


MISS RUTH LAW, AVIATRIX PREMIER,
ATTRACTION AT SATURDAY'S RACES

[[ image of Ruth Law ]]

Miss Law expects to make each lap of the track in 20 seconds.

EVERYTHING READY FOR BIG RACE MEET

EVERY CAR IS HERE AND THE TRACK IS BEING THOROUGHLY TRIED OUT.

SOME FAST TIME MADE

Record of One-Half Mile in Thirty-Four and One-half Seconds Established.

Everything is in readiness for the big racing event at the I. and I fairgrounds Saturday afternoon, and barring a downpour of rain the event will go according to schedule. The track has been placed in fine condition and there is no question about its being fast. It is the fastest track in the country, and will be kept so during the entire year.
The automobiles are all here and the speed kings who are to pilot them on Saturday afternoon have been tuning up their steeds, getting ready for the big contest. One machine has already established a record of half a mile in 34.5 seconds and two others have made the course in 36 seconds flat. Since the fastest time on a dirt track is but 33 seconds for the half mile this is considered excellent time, especially since there is to be more work on the oval before the real speed contests are pulled off.
Ruth Law in Practice.
Ruth Law, who has been giving her entire time to the Red Cross work while in the city this week, has been out to the track a few timers, getting acquainted with the grounds. She will race in her own airplane against the fastest of the 

JAMES E. DOUGHTY SUDDENLY CALLED

PIONEER COAL OPERATOR FALLS DEAD IN HIS OFFICE WESTERN BRICK PLANT.

LONG IN ILL HEALTH

Was General Superintendent of the M. Kelly Mining Interests for Years.

James E. Doughty, a veteran coal operator, many years general superintendent of the M. Kelly mines at Westville and Grape Creek, fell dead at the Western Brick Company's mine, just south of the works at 10:30 o'clock Friday morning. Death must have come to him instantly, as he was dead when his partner, Edward Riley, reached his side, Doughty and Riley were partners in a small coal concern organized especially to get out the coal for the use of the Western Brick plant. They had been partners for several years; previous to that Mr. Doughty and the late Sylvester Parle were engaged in the same contract. Mr. Parle, who died last fall, passed off almost as suddenly and in the same manner almost as Mr. Doughty.
The body was removed to the Gilmore undertaking establilshment [[establishment]], prepared for burial and was removed late Friday afternoon to the Doughty residence, 121 Pine street.
Mr. Doughty was a member of the various Masonic bodies of this city and an Elk. He was a native of the Green Mountain state, being 

KING'S COUSIN
LANDS IN U

PRINCE ARTHUR
HEAD OF BRITI
MISSION.

IS MET BY NOTA

On Way to Japan, But
On President Wilso
While East

AN ATLANTIC PORT, May [[cut off]] Prince Arthur of Connaught, [[cut off]] the Duke of Connaught, and S[[cut off]] earn, former governor gene[[cut off]] Canada and a cousin of King G[[cut off]] arrived here today from an E[[cut off]] port as head of a British miss[[cut off]] the United States. The m[[cut off]] made the voyage abroad a [[cut off]] cruiser.
The prince and his party [[cut off]] were met by Assistant Secretary of [[cut off]] Long, Col. E. M. House, Gen. [[cut off]] head of British recruiting [[cut off]]sion in his country, Olive [[cut off]] British consul general, and [[cut off]] American and British officials. 
The prince's mission to Ja[[cut off]] in connection with the rece[[cut off]] pointment of the Emperor of [[cut off]] as an honorary field marshal[[cut off]] British army. Hr is carrying [[cut off]] emperor a field marshal's b[[cut off]] 
The special mission includ[[cut off]] following: Capt. The Hen[[cut off]] Clair, master of Sinclair, equ[[cut off]] His Royal Highness; Laeu[[cut off]] Sir William Pultenri, K. C. B[[cut off]] M. G., D. S. O.; Maj., The [[cut off]] Pembrooks and Montgomery[[cut off]] O., aide to Gen. Pultenri; C[[cut off]] Batt, quartermaster third b[[cut off]] Royal Berksh[[cut off]] soilder servan[[cut off]] 

TO CALL[[cut off]] 
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Transcription Notes:
Bottom right is covered by a paper