AMERICAN NOTES: Eureka! Something Works!

The economy falters, the Administration trembles, the peace agreement becomes more tattered by the day. But one set of Washington policies is all happy landings: the Government’s campaign to stop skyjackers is working.

Ever since January, airline passengers across the country have had their persons, their pocketbooks and their hand luggage prodded, zapped and all but ransacked in a search for weapons and bombs. At times the policy has been abused, and passengers have been arrested as a result of the searches for a variety of unrelated offenses; occasionally, the metal detectors have been absurdly tuned to pick up loose change, eyeglass hinges and cigarette-pack liners. But it is hard to argue with success. In the past five months, not a single domestic airline has been hijacked, compared to twelve hijackings in the same period last year. Of course, a skyjacker could strike successfully next week, but clearly the Administration’s measures are a success.