New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-17
AR POWER TO Be
u BIG WAR FACTOR
garrison Outlines Plans OF
government for Aero
nautical Service.
eorTADRON FOR EACH
TACTICAL DIVISION
c..;ned Officers and Men the
Most Pressing Need in De-
veloping Military Aviation.

.,-,., and all those connected with
N-orautfcal industry took keen In
w g., the announcement made in The
~-r,ne Yesterday 10 the enect 'hat 'ne
,.-raS states government contemplates
IN ;,,portant steps toward increasing
- strength OF its aeronautical branch.
-, -eportcd order for thirty aero
50 some Of which already have been
t,.,e5 nv the Burgess Company. or
.,-.,,ehoad Mass. was the chief topic or
-rorsation no the Aero club Of America
.,s President Alan r. Hawley said 'na'
=. news was gratifying.
rna attitude Of Secretary Of War car
-, toward aviation IS best shown IN
...,srent prepared by him and which
-, o,near i'm the next issue OF Flying.
Bs SAYS. in part;
srhe most pressing need Of the aero
.,r,ioal service is for trained officers
- men Il has been impracucable in
,,s mast 70 assign q sufficient number Tor
,his important duty owing TO the de-
,ords OF the service in other lines or
work.
"Tbc immediate requirements Of the
,srorsutical service have been met by the
YHtary Committee Of the House in
I'm which looks 10 the creation OF an aNl-
alton branch in the signal corps. SIXTY
oHce~s and go enlisted men will be de-
tailed 10 this work.
.Tf this matter receives the appreciation
~ Congress- the department viii he IN
position 10 push the development oil inns
yocst important branch Of the military
establishment.
.evhne the United States was the hrst
nation 10 recognize the possibilities OF the
seroplare i'm war and 10 evolve the hrst
,ype for military purposes the exigencies
Of the great powers Of Europe nave leu
them 10 develop their aerial fleets 10
much greater extent than has been done
in our country. where, except alonS ou'
Northern and Southern frontiers we are
separated by oceans from the great mill
tarv POWERS with which we might become
Involved in hostile contention and when
owing 10 the difficulties of oversee trans
portation. could not utilize these new en-
rines Of war against US except under the
most favorab bic conditions.
THE demands of the service in other
directions have limited the activities OF
the department in developing an adequate
air fleet and training a personnel, but its
Intention is 10 push this service in the
rear future as rapidly as circumstances
Nil permit
"Our present aeronautical establishment
consists Of an aviation school and an aero
squadron at san Diego. Cal. and aviation
attachments in Hawaii and the Philippine
Islands The plans contemplate the es-
enlistment OF aviation centres in various
rarts Of the country. and as soon as men
and money are available the organization
O. an aero squadron for each of the tacti-
cal divisions Of the army will be under
taken
"Air power will be one Of the dominat-
ing factors controlling the policies OF the
great powers in the future. as sea power
has been i'm the past. The absence or
presence of an efficient air force will Re a
deciding element in hostile operations,
and the commander who is without such
q force viii be greatly hampered from
The outset.
Leading military authorities have
agreed that the functions Of these new
war machines are fourfold-for reconnois-
ssncc both strategical and tactical: for
the prevention of reconnaissance on the
part Of the enemy. for communication
Purposes and for destructive action
against an enemy"