FLIGHTS OF FOLLY

The unwillingness of the War Department to renew the support, it gave last year to the Intercollegiate Flying Meet is unfortunate for the success of civilian aviation. The results of the previous contest were extremely gratifying to all concerned and the hope was expressed that after the initial military impetus, the colleges would be able to conduct the succeeding affairs without foreign aid. But chiefly for financial reasons, this plan has proved impossible; it is only with cooperation from the Army that the meet can be arranged.

In that the Department should not be burdened with the expenses of commercial flying, the present negative stand is justifiable. Yet in this particular instance, the role of college man in the world conflict must not be neglected; his response to the needs of the air service brought valuable assistance at a critical time, and his contribution would be no less spontaneous in a similar emergency. One of the rules of the competition stipulates that all entrants be exercise men; and in face of all this, comes a refusal for further aid. Until the universities can provide places of their own, they must be dependent on outside sources, and unless such help is available, the Meet is foredoomed to failure, Encouragement to the science of aviation is scarcely offered in War Department decisions of this kind.