Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-11-22
AVIATION A GREAT
AID FOR Defense
SIX CRItTNRN or NAVY DISCUSSES
t'SE on \llislilI'~ N AofIAL
TINE or WAR
US. BEHIND Other NATIONS
Daniels lrgc- That the I. $. should
AZ once Take Its Raul, with
the Othcr Great Powers,

ST LOUIS, Mo, Nov !l.-'ln my
opinion, the newly developed art oi
aviation Will not only tend to limit
the duration and scope of hostile op-
cratioua. but also aid in the control
~ the seas, one of the elements con-
trlbutug materially to the power and
prosperity of a nation
Secretary Daniels made this state
mont here tonight In the course of
public address upon aeronauucs IN
which he discussed the conquest OF
the air by the United States army,
and the part aerial navigation will
take In future wars.
The potcntialities Of the acroplane,
when applied to the art of war are eN-
tremely great, and lts proper use
win undoubtedly be a dominating
factor in the success of future cam
paigns said he. The principal roles
Of the acroplanc In naval warfare viii
hc for scouting and reconnaissance
work and for offensive destructive op-
crauons against hostile fleets and for
uncauons Rash, indeed, win be the
commander of an opposing fleet who
| would head his vessels against the
ucct Of coast of AN enemy possessing
"a number Of these vicious Wasps of
VAR, and unfortunate indeed would be
commander who did not have ready
1t his cali this means of obtaining SUI
prcmacy in the air
"A torpedo costs $4,000 and fire.
mcntly is lost in pratcice, through de
| .I a.. loo
impossible to follow IT from the
crows nest of a ship But an aerial
scout can follow torpcdo's course
uncumgly 10y watching It from above.
The price of one torpedo will pay for
several flying machines. Experts say
mines arc easily picked up or locat-
ed by aerial scouts. one little mine
may wreck $4,000 battleship. A
dying machine, costing but a small
sum. would mean the ships safety
| The Dirlgihlc balloon likewise will
play as important a part in naval war
fare ass the aeroplanc. and possibly
! win have a greater effect on naval
strategy and tactics
"Thr United States army has II
machines with Il total personnel of "A
officers Seven more machines are
m sight. There is at present no def
mite organization, and no plan Of CO
operation between the army and navy
The latter possesses only four hydro
planes and three flying boats, though
o is proposed to buy three more.
"rhc war aeroplane and war air
shin are today recognized and proven
engines of war by the leading nations
If the earth. In practice our recog-
milton is little more than theoretical
Scouting and Information in land op-
cratous i8 being given over to the
Icroplauc and the lighter dirigiblc,
and scouting information and mining
in sea operations is being given over
20 the hydroplanc and larger dirig-
ihlcs. while the large and armed rigid
duieible, capable Of carrying several
tons of explosives and making long
sustained flights, is designed both for
making offensive attacks on ships, ar
scncls docks, etc. An. army or fleet
of the present day operating In war
without an efficient air service against
one with such service, It has been apt
v said would be Ike blind man
lighting another Of equal power with
am his faculties.
1T is true that the United States
! occupies position differing material
~ from European nations bordering
on each other or separated by narrow
waters easily patrolled by air craft.
And therefore we have not been fore
=. ed hy the pressure Of an immediate
- danger to meet the progress Of pos
einlc enemies This is no doubt the
4 reason we have Jagged benin other
nations in developing and untilizing
our own gift to the world. Our scrup-
e. ulous efforts TO avoid all entanglng
L alliances makes II less probable that
we will be involved In the wars of
the future, II there hc any; neVerthe-
less. we may not forget that with the
n Panama canal as well as our coast
fortncatlons To bc protected not only
from attack by land and water, bu
also by air, steps must be taken tC
p train II sufficient and efficient naval
= air service to cope with the best all
r fleets in the world. II time o
n crisis or sudden national perm wcr,
u, to come upon us now, the service OF
the aviation reserve would ho beyond
" estimate. | am one OF those who be
% licvc In this future, and with suit
?, able assistance from congress vii
>, strive to bring aeronautics in my ser.
vice abreast of the important posi-
" ton It holds in the various navics OF
H the world.
"Thc United States produced tn,
.o first aeroplanc and the first hN dro-
aeroplanc. aud European nations ear.
crly grasped at the chance to utliz,
y them In their armies and navics.
l. France has led In the development
- and use of heavier than air machne'
, and has % larger aerial fleet than an,
other nation. She is said to have now
j. 500 acroplancs. 500 a>iators. II dir
be irihle balloons and 4O0 balloon pilots
l. one authority says she will spent
90 next year nearly S1.50O.000 on mill.
tary flying. Another authority state
' that the military grant IN 1912 wa,
~ about S4.GOO.O goo, while a nationa
IA subscription of about 100000 wa,
/, raised In addition. which has alread,
supplied - acroplanes with eS NOR,
to come before this year Is ended.
France has. for the most part 70