Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-01-28
TO USE AIRSH!pS
AS MAIL CARRIERS
Two Thousand AVidtOrS viii
Garry Government Letters.
ARMY WILL TRAIN FLIERS.

Uncle Sans Officials Mako Announce
mont at Annual Dinner Of Aero Club.
Aerial Equipment Will Serve az Eyes
For Any Artillery Action In Outlying
Possessions.
An opportunity " put 1000 Ameri-
can aviators to work flying through the
air with sacks Of first class mail over
routes that have already been picked
out by the United States postal author
tiles was described by Second AS
sistant Postmaster General Stewart ut
the annual dinner OF the Aero Club or
America at the Hotel st. Regis, New
York. Mr.. Stewart declared that it
would be the settled policy OF the postal
authorities Ito knock and knock again
at the doors OF congress until the sup
port for the postotfice departments
plan would be forthcoming"
He predicted that a bill authorizing
the using OF aerial transportation for
the mails would pass ut the next SEES
sion OF congress and that within two
years the postal aviators would be as
commonplace as railway mail clerks
are today.
Brigadier General George z. Scrlven.
chief signal officer OF the United States
army, warmly supported the proposal
OF Assistant Postmaster General Stew
art He declared that II was the
immediate intention OF the army and
navy forces of the United States 10
open an aviation school in Texas 10
supplement the school already estab-
lished at San Diego. Cal. and that the
army and navy expected very shortly
to have four aerial squadrons. Two Of
these squadrons. he said. were for use
on land. TO be equipped with aero
planes. while the other two sQuadrons
were for marine service and equipped
with hydros.
He urged that aerial equipment be
sent as soon as possible to the Philip
pines and To Panama and Hawaii 10
serve as the eyes for any artillery
action that In these outlying posses
slons may become necessary"
Aeroplsne Indispensable.
I'VE have reached the conclusion"
he said, that the aeroplane is inds-
pensable as the eyes OF the artillery
and we can no longer afford TO remain
Indifferent TO this branch OF the serv-
ice. But we can't look for more than
four squadrons OF aerial troops mt
present. After all. aerial troops would
be an auxiliary. and we can't make
them out OF proportion to the general
establishment. and the general estab-
lishment is only a provision for a first
line OF battle or defense The call for re-
more reserves-sOunds
through our aeroplane plans rs
through all our military plans.
The solution is the preparing of
men who may serve as highly trained
aerial scouts. but who. until war de
mands their services. are OF use In 9th
er lines. The postoffice departments
plans are Of great value in just that
regard. The army. | am able to say.
would gladly cooperate by training
for the postal service at the
army schools. We hope soon 10 have
four OF them More than that it is
our policy to offer TO train all national
guardsmen who may seek 10 become
proficient aviatorS and TO train civil-
ans up 10 the capacity OF our plant"
A telegram was read from the Pana- !
exposition management pro- |
posing as a substitute for the race
around the world. which was aban
ioned on account OF the war. that
there be a three route transcontinental /
race for San Francisco. with Boston. /
New York and Washington as starting |
points. The proposal was received |
with applause.
Henry A. Wise Wood. who acted as
postmaster. read a cablegram from
London which gave the endurance rec
ord of one biplane used in the war
These craft" he said. are counted /
Is fragile and not able TO stand pun
Yet biplane 1913 flew 1000
niles. was hit by $50 rifle balls. got
he marks of sixty Shrapnel shells that
lurst around il. had twenty-five wires
ut 10y bullets. had seven holes shot
Trough the radiator. received an ex-
,loSive shell from German aeroplane
II the fuSilade and finally was brought
o earth after all this experience by
hrapnel which burst directly against
he engine.
at proved that an aeroplane in war
has only two vital spots-the pilot.
whose hand is needed TO direct il. and
he engine that kcens IL going"