WINGS FOR TRANSPORTATION — ^WRIGHT 583 



The fact that our domestic air lines are now flying over 250,000 plane- 

 miles each day ; the equivalent of 80 round trips from New York to 

 Los Angeles or of 10 trips around the world at the Equator, or 

 perhaps better still, one to the moon. 



The fact that there are 30 large airlines flying daily each way on 

 scheduled trips between New York and Chicago (a greater number 

 than holds for through-train schedules). 



The fact that we are now enjoying regular service coast to coast in 

 just under 17 hours which we may confidently expect will, within a 

 reasonable time, be reduced to 12 ; and regular trans-Atlantic trips 

 of 24 hours' duration at present which will be cut eventually to 18. 



These factors are all indicative of the inspiring future of air 

 transportation. 



I cannot close without again referring to my belief that this bring- 

 ing of peoples closer together will be a tremendously important factor 

 in maintaining the peace of the world once the present war is over. 

 This vision was, strangely enough, first pronounced almost a hundred 

 years ago by William S. Henson, the inventor of an "aerial steam 

 carriage" in 1843. His vision of the airplane as represented mechan- 

 ically in his invention was remarkable in its close approximation in 

 many respects to our present-day airplanes, but what he wrote con- 

 cerning his vision of human relations as affected by his invention is 

 even more important and is quoted below : 



• * * The changes which must follow the first aerial voyage of one hundred 

 miles in length must be great, may be astounding to our present notions, may 

 be dashed as all human advances are with subtractive evils, but they must be 

 largely beneficial to the human family. It is no considerable earnest of future 

 good that the very nature of the design compels us to consider all mankind as 

 one community * * * when men are strangers, they are ready to become 

 enemies ; render them mutually acquainted, and they soon become mutually 

 useful, and when their interests are at stake we may safely reckon on their 

 continued and abiding friendship. * * * 



Let us continue to improve our air-transport planes and our air- 

 transport services. Let us see that the objectives finally accomplished 

 are those envisioned above. And make certain that it shall not come 

 to pass that the air conquers man, but that truly man conquers the air I 



