Schneider Sequel

In making plans for the next Schneider trophy races, Great Britain, host for the 1931 race by virtue of her 1929 victory, was bitterly accused of high-handedness by France and Italy (TIME, Sept. 22). First she demanded that the entry fee per plane be upped from 5,000 francs to 200,000 francs ($8,000) as a forfeit to be paid by any entrant failing to compete. That, it was explained, was to keep out defaulting publicity-seekers. Then the British Royal Aero Club insisted that France and Italy enter no less than three planes each --which finally they did. Last week, to the incalculable embarrassment of the Royal Aero Club, the MacDonald Government announced it would provide no funds for the team or for the race, which was to be held over The Solent; nor would it allow Royal Air Force planes and pilots (the winners in 1929) to take part. Reason: The event does not justify spending the required $400,000 in these hard times. Result: The Aero Club and the civil aircraft industry face the whole task of raising the funds and building three racing planes--a task which observers last week deemed impossible.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.