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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1270.PDF
to be an " error of judgment on the part of the pilot." In flying, this cause in nearly every case is the ultimate reason for a crash. It might be expected, therefore, that companies embarking in commercial aviation would be most careful in their selection of pilots in order to reduce to a minimum this almost uncontroll able human element of danger. Major Lloyd doubts if this is so, and quotes his own experiences as an eye-witness of bad flying at certain civilian aero dromes. We should not like to say that such bad flying is the rule, or even that it is done to any appreciable extent, but nevertheless the point is a very good one. It must be remembered that a single accident has more influence on the confidence of the public than a hundred flights accomplished in safety. The first everyone hears about, while the second are never talked about outside a small circle. Major Lloyd proposes a drastic regulation for putting down bad flying. He would raise the status of pilots to that of the captain of a ship, and in case of a crash would permanently cancel his certificate. We are all for making flying as safe as it can humanly be made, but we are inclined to think the penalty too severe for general application. Where absolute default on the part of the pilot could be proved, we should not be averse to imposing such a penalty, but there are cases in which the human element is not exactly blameworthy, though possibly a little error of judgment which may admittedly have serious consequences has been committed, and here it seems that the immutable rule would work great hardship on the pilot. By all means let every case of accident be dealt with on its merits and where foolhardiness or sheer carelessness or incompetence has resulted in accident let the pilot have his certificate cancelled. But we cannot go all the way with Major Lloyd, who seems to be of the Spartan type of judge. • • • At last it would seem we are to have a Future" definite announcement of the Govern ment's industrial and economic policy. Indeed, we have already got the broad outlines of the procedure which is to govern our trade policy. Through the medium of a publication called The Future, which is described as a" Government state ment of national needs and national policy," the executive has announced its autumn programme of legislation. -The most important aspects of the programme are in the matter of trade policy, in connection with which it is announced that there will be free imports (with certain exceptions) from the ist instant. There is to be no Government support of foreign exchanges except to prevent complete collapse, and no dumping of foreign goods at sweated prices. Powers are to be taken to prevent any flood of imports competing unfairly with British goods through a collapse of exchange in the country of origin. There is to be protection of " unstable key industries," which are defined as (a) products essential for war; (b) industries so neglected before the war that there was an inadequate supply of their products ; (c) industries which it was found necessary to foster <$> <$> Church's Gift to R.A.F. VICE AIR-MARSHAL SIR GODFREY PAINE, Inspector- General R.A.F., opened, the other day, at Netheravon an institute which has been presented to the R.A.F. by the Church of England Board for the welfare of the Imperial Forces in the diocese of Salisbury. Sir Godfrey emphasised the fact that it was the first insti- SEPTEMBER 25, 1919 and promote during the war ; and (d) industries that cannot maintain the level of production essential to the nation without Government support. At the same time it is made clear that no undue profits are to be made at the expense of the community by reason of protection of such unstable " key " industries. Generally speaking, all this is admirable if the practice can be made to fit the theory. Undoubtedly it is essential, to take the point regarding the preven tion of the flooding of the market by low-priced goods through a collapse of exchange in the country of origin, that industry should be protected against a manifest menace. Obviously, this is initially directed against Germany, where the exchange has collapsed to an extent which would enable her to swamp this country with commodities with which our own manufacturers could not hope to compete. We want money from Germany and we certainly do not want, nor can we afford to pay her any save for articles of commerce which we are unable to produce for ourselves, except so far as trading might help to bring greedy profiteers to their senses. Apart from that, it is but fair that our own industries should be safeguarded from a form of competition which results from the position which Germany as an enemy country and a defeated one fortuitously finds herself. It would be unthinkable that Germany should actually be allowed to benefit from her crimes. In the matter of " key " industries, we imagine that everyone will agree with the Government view that these must be protected. How nearly Germany won the war through her insidious policy of underselling us in the home market in " key " productions is a matter of too recent knowledge to need emphasising now. If we take the* case of the magneto, which was the key to the aeroplane industry, and regard how, by a scientific system of obtaining a monopoly of the British market so that we were, at the outbreak of war, not producing more than a hundred of these essential machines per week, we shall see how impor tant it is to maintain our key industries against such competition. Cases could be multiplied of how well and carefully Germany prepared for war by ensuring that " The Day " should find us dependent upon herself for many of the products essential for war. Apart from risks of further wars, we have created our own " key " industries, and they must not be filched from us for want of the essential protection. At the same time, it is well that the warning should have been given that undue profits will not be allowed to be made at the expense of the community by reason of the protection of these industries. Unfortunately, bitter experience of shameless profiteering has made the mass of the people very suspicious of proposals for the protection of industry. They see in such proposals merely fresh levers for the use of the profiteer, and we are pretty well convinced that if a plebiscite of the electors were taken on the question of protection of industry without guarantees against the making of undue profits, there would be an overwhelming majority against such protection. <s> $> tute presented by anybody to the R.A.F., and the gratitude of the whole of the R.A.F. was due to the Board for its munificent gift. The institute, which has been erected at a cost of ^4,000, has accommodation for 600 persons, com prises a lounge hall, billiard-room, buffet and a chapel or devotional room, which was dedicated by the Bishop of Salisbury, who presided at the function. 1272
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