The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-28
NEED OF AIR FLEET
FOR DEFENCE SHOWN
Henry Woodhouse Disputes
Statement That L. s. Is
Prepared for War.
QUESTIONS FOR KITCHIN

Henry W~oodhouse. governor OF the
! Aero club OF America and member OF
the conference committee on ndtiohai
preparedness, has written a letter 10
Congressman Claude kitchin disputins
the Democratic House leaders statement
that the United states is now prepared
for war and hat the American navy "
superior to the German.
Mr.. Woodhouse asks Mr.. kitchin thc
following questions. which are included
in an article by the former. TO appear
in the Metropolitan Mdodsine for Janu-
airy:
"If the United States navy. which has
less than twenty aeroplanes in tnmi
sion n ordered and only a small
training dirigible ordered, is considered
by you to be superior TO the German
navy. which has more than 1000 aero'
planes and not less than forty huse
Zeppelins. what ~ the nswer
"If the submarine Is the most danger
Gus enemy OF the ~dreadnoueht ana COM
merce, and the aeroplane II the inoet
effective enerny OF the submarine does
IL not follow that without a~eropianes
our d~readnoughts. which cost huhdFrns
! Of millions of dollars. and our commerce
which Is the very blood Of our economic
| whole. ar. Criminally unprotected?
II tiA ~ " hhN'
at most, $4,000 can. by going al a
speel three times greater h a the speed
OF a cruiser. displace three cruisers III
coas. patrol and submarine huntlile'
doing with S?5. 400 and two men what r.
| now done with $4,000. 900 and l.ooo men
is there excuse for rot having such aero
planes: .o.
IF one aeropiane costing but $1,000"
can save an $4,000. 900 battlesh!p from
destruction by a $500 torpedo. WHAT'S
the
''lc the United States navy. which was
first TO adopt aeroplanes for naval ser
vice, now, after q years. has less
than twenty aeroplanes and only one
small dirigihle available and ordefrd
only one aviation station and one snip
assigned 10 aeronautlcal service but
%unequlpped and II the naval programme
recently published proposes 20 add only
seventy-hve ~aeroplanes next year "n.h
the need is for 75V-w!.l We he abe
10 say. we have met the enemy and
he is ours when the time comes"
Further in the course II his letter
Mr.. Woodhouse says:
"rhe national wealth IL estimated a.
close to SlsS.OUu 600. 600 and the sum OF
81. 600. 00C. 600 j. really not excessive to
spend 10 insure II. Il means a payment
per apiia OF less than $40.
can you consider uat tNcesSN'' 'o
pay SO this year for national security
-to protect your coVntry. your family
and your home? OF course not YOU
spend more than that IN any one OF a
hundred superiu!ties. II ynu have a cat
you undoubtedly pay more than $40 a
year for cat meat. Just TO Keep YOU
house free from mice. Surprising ttat i
does cost $500. GOO. roo q year 10 sup
port our army. navy and militia after
this year "a point which j. worrying the
peace at any price disciples and people
OF small mental perspective), that
surely 10 not large enough 10 worry
about.
What has been spent in armament 81
this country ia the pas mas proven
20 I've i good Investment. Even Henry
Ford, who objected to further eNp,ud.-
lures because $1,000. o0U.oo worth %:
military equipment had d.t'-ioratod uu-
used. could rot ind that " had h.,'
i bad inVestweH; wh-D.t was po.ut
out that tttf equipment nro'"rt = In.
country. willie the national wealth -
creased from s-.l36. u0o. 600 !g 1880 10
'l>7,TS3. 600. 600 in JAZZ