Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-06-04
PLANES FOR ARMY
CONGRESS FINALLY CREATES AN
AVIATION SERVICE AS PART
OF SIGNAL CORPS.
ANNUAL COST TO BE s26o,ooo
United States Slow to Recognize It's
Importance In Warfare, but Value
Of Aeroplane Has Been DEM
onstrated at Vera Cruz.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.--Congre finally has
given recognition to the science OF
aviation as a feature of warfare. Inc
house of representatives has passed |
unanimously a bill creating a military
aviation service as a part OF the sig
nal corps of the army.
One of the curious incidents In con-
nection with this aviation measure
was that It had been on the calendar
of the house for five months, Priv
legged petition which would have al
lowed It to be brought to a vote at
any time, and yet its advocates dio
not dare call 1t up for consideration
for fear 1t would be defeated. HOW
groundless the fear was is shown by
the fact that there was not dissent
ing vote cast when the question was
put.
Ever since the army secured its
first aeroplane attempts have been
made to get congress to appropriate
sufficient money to keep the military
service of America abreast In aero
nautics of the military services OF the
other nations of the world. Congress
appropriated little money from time
to time, but not nearly enough to put
the service on a proper plane as mill
tary men viewed the necessities In
the case.
It is going to cost $260.000 year
to put the new service into operation
and to keep 1t effective. Unquestion-
ably the Mexican situation was large
" responsible for the unanimous vote
in the house on the measure. On the
day 1t was passed there seemed to be
no probability that the United States
would have to invade Mexico with
huge force, but the future was uncer'
tain and as is always the case when
war rumors are afoat kindly spirl'
toward the army was aroused In the
members and they voted the money
which the war department asked &c
enable them to increase the efficiency
of its air service.
The army has sacrificed severa
lives In the work of aviation experi
menting. Six years ago when con
gress appropriated money to buy one
machine provided 1t should prove ca
pable of sustained fight, an army OH
Ger. Lieutenant Selfridge, volunteers
to make the ascent with one OF tn
Wright brothers. The machine co
lapsed and young Selfridge was kille
and Aviator Wright was badly II
jured. This was the army's first sac
rifice In the work of developing tn
new science.
To show how far behind the Unite
States has been in military aeronat
tics It might be said that in five year
only $4,000 was appropriated by col
gress for the aviation service. Ge
, many in the same length of time he
: spent nearly $50 100000; France. $22
0O0, 900; Russia, $12,000,000; Italy, s.
, 0O0, 900; Austria, $5,000000; Englan'
$4,000, 600; Belgium, $2,000,000; Japal
l 81 100000, and five small countrie
3 have spent many hundred thousand
2 Of dollars more than the Unite
1 States.
+ Were Useful at Vera Cruz.
= At Vera Cruz the aeroplanes we
l. OF the greatest assistance to Il
Q United States army and navy in Tsp
: ing out the land" after the occup
Q ton of the seaport. The navy h
aeroplanes and with the feet we
two or three of these machines. Of
GERS made daily flights far inland al
&c located gradually the positions of &c
~ eral MASS troops and brought ba
y reports of the condition Of the "a
I.x a,-ka 90 t1h
y ported to have been destroyed by t
~ Mexican federals.
u While on three of these trips in t
air the aviators we're fired at by Nj
lean sharpshooters,/ but, with tn
If. machines, they escaped injury. 7
" service is a most perilous one to m
10 tary and naval life for there is l
A. only the danger of battle. but the eN
IT. present danger Of accident to the I
chinery or to a wing of the machi
and then the usual fall TO death.
Wilson to Have His Way.
ms Judging by what he has accC
ri plished with his part in the pa
he there seems to be no solid reason
ut believe President Wilson will fail
ut get his antitrust legislation throI
lot the senate In the form in which
Dir desires 1t to pass. Some onlook
DIS in Washington view the situat
I'd. with respect TO this legislation
les not. being favorable at this nom
he to the administration, but despite
pm form which opposition has taken
ell seems likely the administration
Ter be victorious.
rth The antitrust policy, as outlined
legislation which the senate is alb
to receive from the hands of
house. is opposed more or less
Wn nestly by a good many of the
car gressives of all the parties in (
nc gress and also by certain great
ere ness interests. curious combinat
lne of antagonisms. for the opposing
Oer' ments stand upon entirely differ