Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-10-02
More Officers, Better Pay and
Distinguishing Uniforms
and Badges.

gators III THIS field. BY this statement
there Is meant no reflection on Pro-
lessor Montgomery, DR.. Langley and
q host OF others who made possible the
work of the Wrights and Curtiss.
1T Is simply stated as a fact that
efficient work in constructing is only
possible when the constructor is also
an able fier. This is acknowledged
abroad, where Henri and Maurice
Farman, Bleriot, Paulhan, Grahame-
White and Newport the last named
now decease0 have developed the
leading aeroplanes Of the world. Some
few other successful constructors have
used such pre-eminently able aviators
as Vedrines, Garros and Beaumont as
collaborators, but it comes to the same
end-expert aviators are essential to
expert construction. The science is
yet too young for US to determine Just
how long a man should continue to
fly. Indeed, this period will always
vary with the individual, but it ap-
pears to be very clear to me that ex-
pert fliers will be of great use in mill
tary aeroplane designing and construc-
ton for some time after they actually
cease to fly.
Four Year Rule Wrong.
I'm the four year detail rule of our
army for aviation service we are max
ing a grave error at the present time.
Every one of the eminent constructors
named above still continues to fly des-
pite the popular fallacious belief to
the contrary. They no longer appear
in public exhibitions, but they still fly
for the purpose of demonstrating the
worth or uselessness Of new devices
or principles Of fight. Their work is
the most dangerous of any despite the
fact that it is not in the limelight.
Until we develop such men in our
army we cannot hope to attain that
efficiency which the Importance of the
subject demands. This four year de-
tail rule has resulted in separating the
writer from aviation in our service.
Should the conferees' report on the
army appropriation bill go through as
drafted it will result in the elimina-
ton of one other officer from the work
in less than another year. The officer
affected will be on the point of becom-
ing highly valuable to the service at
the time of relief. Both officers indi-
Gated should in the law of chance be
Of worth for at least four years be-
yond the date of relief. So long as
this rule operates we will not have an
efficient aviation corps.
mo line officer can for a minute
deny that the detail system for staff
work Is an advantage to the line.
Aviation belongs to the line. It is part
Of the line. The only reason do not
plead for permanent personnel is the
fact that the very nature of the work
requires young men. We must seek
to keep these men young, but we must
not forget that the corps is perma-
nent, and not only is it permanent,
but it Is a separate, distinct part of
the line; it is fourth arm"
Captain Beck summarizes the whole
under the caption "A Logical State.
ment Of Aviation Needs" These needs
are an aviation school, an increase in
the number of officers assigned to
aerial work, the cooperation of the
aviation and army line schools at Fort
Leavenworth, increased pay for off,
GERS and men, provision for the de-
pendents of those who serve in the
Fourth arm" distinguishing uniforms
and badges for those of the service,
detail to squad to be made only upon
recommendation Of a properly quail
fed board Of aviators, to make all de-
tails indeterminate and the proper sta
tion1ng Of the aviators in the various
military divisions.