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Show . V v : Private Traveling At Public Expense ' It has been disclosed that Vies President Presi-dent Alben W. Berkley narrowly escaped death the other night when his plane, coming k. fsr a landing at the National airport fat Washington, came within 60 feet of ramming an advertising blimp. That was interesting, but perhaps of greater Interest was th revelation that tha vice president is apparently still turinf sir force planes to fly on personal per-sonal business to and from his home city of Padueah, Kentucky, and perhaps also to the home town of his bride-to-be in . St. Louis. The plane involved, according to news accounts, was a converted B-17 bomber, msnned by six crew members' from the Boiling sir fores base. Berkley, ths story said, was the only occupant of the plans other than the crewmen. A few months sgo there wss s big row over the use of air force planes for congressional Junkets. At the time ' attention waa focused also oa the vies president's use of aa air fores plane to visit his lady friend. . - Only occasionally does this use of government airplanes for private business busi-ness come to public attention, but there must be a great deal of such free travel-- ' ing going on all the time. It is s costly business and aa abuse of privilege. Somebody ought to stop such a waste of taxpayers' money. But the trouble is both the legislative and' the executive branches of (he government are guilty of the abuse. They can hardly be ex-. ex-. '.. pec ted to put stop to their own racket. What we , need si . some independent watchdog group ta publicise ail ' such - esses of private junketing st public expense. ex-pense. Maybe the power of public opinion would then finally force the administration or tbe .eongreaa to put ' stop ta this pernicious practice. |