The Dangers of Press Publicity

Abstract

THE fierce light of publicity beats down on everything aeronautic. No mechanical invention has so captured the popular imagination as flying. Though this has its advantages, it is by no means an unmixed blessing. It is true that no other method of transport—sea, rail or road—has ever received so much Governmental assistance. There has been no other case of governments — as notably in England and America—taking from the backs of those trying to develop a new vehicle the burden of research with a view to commercial progress. There has been no previous example of governments, such as in the outstanding instance of Germany, paying a considerable proportion of the fare of each passenger taking advantage of a new means of transport. No government has previously, as France is doing, directly subsidised a manufacturing industry. It has not before occurred to any Government to assist private individuals to learn to handle, as the British Government does, and even to purchase, as France has lately decided to do, a vehicle to use for his own pleasure.