LEADING ARTICLES. 



603 



State would hv under State control, and a 

 nation would no more think of buying sliips 

 from abroad than we now tliink of buying 

 soldiers or sailor.s. The world would live in a 

 clearer and cleaner international atmospliere ; 

 and its wars and preparations for wars would 

 at any rate be determined by what appeared 

 to be national necessities without the inter- 

 vention of the motives and the agencies of pri- 

 vate advantage. 



AVIATION AND PROGRESS. 



In La Revue there is the first part of a 

 symposium, edited by M. Maurice Wolff 

 and M. Henri Regnault, on Aviation and 

 the Humanity of To-morrow. 



The questions to be replied to were : 

 (i) Do you think aviation will serve to 

 advance humanity, or do you think that 

 the conquest of the air may in certain 

 cases become a danger to civilisation? 

 and (2) Do you think aerial sport will de- 

 velop the qualities of energy at the ex- 

 pense of sensibility, or, exalting in the 

 human being all the highest faculties, 

 will it make men accessible to the most 

 elevated sentiments of which perfected 

 human nature is capable ? In the present 



issue oi La Revue we have the replies of 

 a number of aviators. 



Mr. Ernest Archdeacon believes that 

 all scientific progress, whatever it be, 

 must help forward the march of 

 humanity, and that the conquest of the 

 air will be one of the most effective 

 agents in bringing about the complete 

 interpretation of nations and universal 

 peace, which is a consequence of it. 



Several other aviators agree that the 

 aeroplane may become a formidable 

 engine of war, but the evil brings with 

 it its ow^n remedy, and the devastating 

 ])ower of the aeroplane may make it a 

 l^owerful auxiliary' in the cause of peace. 

 M. Santos-Dumont is of opinion it will 

 soon make war impossible. M. Jules 

 \^edrines says the practice of aviation 

 completely modifies the character of a 

 man. The most impatient becomes 

 gentle and patient, and the sentiments 

 are purified. It is, in fact, the best 

 school of philosophy, a philosophy of a 

 high and strong order. 



\-±zA 



THK .\Nri-.\IKSim' CUN. 

 'Hvinudiuvd hi, i,>riiu.--^ion of tlic ;)ro/M/.foi .-• of " /i en .-■.«• !/■■-■ .Vfirii/ .1 niiinif.") 



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