Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-24
BALLOON SERVICE IN ARMY
Representative Hull Of Iowa Talks Of
His Plans.
NOT A NEW CONVERT TO THE IDEA
At Nest session OF Congress Iowa
Man WnI Ask for Funds with
which 90 Construct an
Aerial Navy.

WASHINGTON. .. G.. Oct. a ,sD.c,ol
representative john A. T. Hun ~ Des
Moines. chairman Of the house committee on
military affairs IS in Washington en- route
nome after having spent the summer
months al eastern seashole resorts lf
captain Huh can have his way. the
United States army will not long remain
without money with which 90 provide e.
sset with aeronautical equipment and
make experiments In seronautics as many
other great powers Of the earth are daily
conducting. Tie said:
~ shall use every endeavor al the com
ing session Of congress. to bring about an
AUTHORIZATION of at least 5000 for the
development Of a balloon and aeroplane
service IN the army. The course that
congress has heretofore pursued is moth
Ing short Of criminal neg, snce. The
United ates has been derelict and there
should not be n moments hesitation al the
approaching session to supply the army
with funds to EQUIP itself with this essen
ual resource Of war"
Confers with sauier.
Representative Hall has had a conference
with Major George G. squier Of the Sig
nal service, learning FROM him just how
aoronautlc matters stand In the United
nations. Major squler returned only re-
Gently from visit TO Europe, and has an
Intimate knowledge OF what is being done
elsewhere in the promotion OF the bal
loon and particularly the aeroplane for
war service
Congressman Hull is not a new recruit
to the idea Of making generous apprepr-
atoms for experiments in aeronautics by
the army. In the last session of con-
gress he tried to obtain an appropriation
dor aeronautical experiments but was
defeated on the floor.
THE leaders OF the appropriations COM
mittee were chiefly responsible" explained
Captain HUI, "and their hostile arguments
won more votes than 1 could get The
argument they used was the old story that
'aeroplanes were utterly useless for war
purposes; that It meant only a squander-
ing Of the peoples money etc. The repre-
sentatives had no faith in aeropianes or
aerunautics IA general and refused to
waste as they said, $4,000 Of the public
funds
VIII Try 81 Again.
THE appropriations committee leaders
first tried TO rule out my amendment to
their bill on a point Of order. ! beat them
on that, but when II came to the passing
Of the appropriation they defeated me. This
time l shall have the item inserted in the
army appropriation bill, where II belongs.
The members Of congress have gained
great deal Of information since last SEES
sion about aeronGutics and will learn
whole lot more after the War department
has had hearing. The appropriation
ought to be made without hesitancy, but,
OF course, no one can guarantee what con-
gress will do.
81 hope the present agitation OF the sub
ject in the press will continue. II Il is
made apparent that the people want TO
have the army on a progressive footing
and that It shall not be tagging far behind
other powers of the world; congress will
be responsive, I am sure, and grant the
funds that are so urgently required.
az regard this matter of providing the
army with aeronautical equipment one of
the most important propositions with which
congress will be called upon TO deal at the
coming session"