Air Bureau Aired

Horrified at the death of New Mexico's Bronson Cutting in an airplane crash (TIME, May 13, 1935), the Senate started an investigation of the Bureau of Air Commerce, heard its aids to flight safety called "dangerously inadequate" by many an authority (TIME, Feb. 24 et seg.). The best rebuttal of the Bureau was a vote of confidence from more than 1,000 transport pilots. Last week, a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee disregarded this defense, held the Bureau negligent in the Cutting crash, recommended a drastic overhaul of Bureau personnel.

Criticizing Secretary of Commerce Daniel C. Roper for splitting Bureau authority between too many men, the Committee's report lashed out particularly at two top Bureau officials, Director Eugene Vidal and his assistant, Rex Martin. Excerpts:

"We question the professional equipment of Mr. Martin. A man of much larger experience is needed for this position. . . ."

Director Vidal ". . . is an amiable gentleman. He has a good background. Our fear is that he is too amiable, that he is lacking in iron positiveness and the determination to keep the employes under his direction functioning according to schedule."

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