The home front

The aviation security bill passed by Congress in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks set Friday as an interim deadline for all checked luggage in the United States to be scrutinized, by one method or another. This week Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta pronounced the government and the airlines ready to do so. That will make flying safer, but not safe enough.

Mr. Magaw's agency, which formally takes control of airport security from the airlines on Feb. 17, has been getting advice from private security and logistics experts on how to meet the deadline, and exploring alternative technologies developed by other companies and defense research labs.

It is also hiring security managers for the most important airports, and must create by November a 30,000-member federal force to replace the screeners hired by the airlines.

But Tom Ridge, President George W. Bush's chief of homeland security, must personally ensure that deployment of the bomb- screening devices is a top priority. Congress, for its part, must make available whatever funds are needed.

The administration needs to place orders quickly with the current manufacturers, and speed up the certification of other equipment that can detect explosives.

American industry must be mobilized, as it was during World War II, to meet this challenge to the national security. Without such an epic effort, the year-end mandate will not be met. Until it is, and all bags are screened by reliable equipment, suicidal bombers will continue to be a threat. The administration has done a masterly job in pursuing the war in Afghanistan. It must be equally tenacious on the home front.

-- The New York Times