The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-21

a measure for which the claim Is made
mat the efficiency of the army would be
trebled and the expense would be re-
duced by half
The National Security League is an
educational institution with 10. 900
members and seventy-six branches or
ganized or In process of organization. II
Is acquainting the public with the dan
gers or unpreparedness and the value of
achieving security by being prepared.
The American Legion is collecting the
names OF all men who have special fitness
for some branch of national defense and
who will respond for actual service in
case Of need.
Among all defects in the line of ma
tonal defense none is more glaring than
that OF aeronautics. The army, the
navy and the state militia have, all told,
FEWER than twenty aeroplanes. More are
now being shipped out of the country ey-
cry week than are owned by the nation.
more men are monthly crossing the At
lantic to take service in the aviation
corps Of Great Britain than are available
for service in that branch of our own
national defense, even II the government
possessed aeroplanes and hydroplanes IN
sundcfent numbers to meet the country's
needs.
AS aeropianes now constitute the first
line Of defense, the closing of this breach
In the national line could not well wait
on the deliberate movements Of Congress,
so the Aero Club of America. with which
are affiliated twenty-five aero clubs IN
other cities, established the national
aeroplane fund for the purpose Of sup
plying the militia of the various states
with eeroplanes or hydroplanes
This movement Is similar to those pr.-
cedfng the war in France and In Germany
where, by popular subscription. the
funds were secured by which each M
the nations secured an aerial neet,
France raised 6.114,s46 francs, which
gave EOS aeropianes, sixty-two landing
stations and the services Of seventy-nye
trained aviators. Germany raised. by
public subscription. 7.234,5os marks to
form a reserve corps Of aviation pilots,
and by the end Of 1918 the reserve had
Increased to 500 trained men. and m.
efforts OF the German Aerial League re-
suited in the passage by the Reichstag Of
an appropriation of s35,00o,0 geo during
the ensuing five years
The national aeroplane fund. which
was started last June by the Aero Club
Of America In conjunction with news
papers. has thus far raised approximately
$4,000. Here In the home of fying n
Is believed that when the people are
e"ehShSu " Tue actual nee0 OF the ma
ton for aeroplanes in common with other
means OF defense. then the fund will
rapidly assume large proportions. II Is
not, however, the intention to furnish all
or the aeroplanes that are needed Con-
gress Is to be asked this winter to appro-
pirate $17,500,000 for aeroplanes and
hydroplanes for the army, the navy, and
the state militia But our country Is so
very large, our colonial possessions are
of such great strategic importance, that
the popular subscription Is needed, no
matter what Congress may do.
The Automobile Club Of America, the
United States power squadrons, the
American societies Of civil, mining, cleo
trical. mechanical and aeronautic en-
cheering, the American Red Cross and
the Maryland League of National De-
Tense, also are societies whose members
believe that It is better to be fully pre-
pared for defense and thus avoid war,
than to be prepared only - peace and
thus invite war.