The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-07
Military Craft VIII Be Built and
I Men Trained TotUse Them
Efficiently
CONGRESS- IS DISPLAYING
. GROSS LACK OF INTEREST
Every Flying Machine Operating
In Mexico Is Worth 1000 b
Z I American Soldiers


Following the example set by Franc,
and Germany in 1912, the Aero Club o
America has begun a national cam
paign for funds with which to bull
tand equip high power aerop,anos an
train men to use them for militar,
purposes against the day, when tn,
country is going TO need them In tn,
worst possible way. The, first applica
tion for contributions to this fund hay,
just been received in Honolulu. i
points out among other things that tn,
United States army aud navy togeth
Ter have less than a score Of available
acroplanes, that less than dozen lie
ensed aviators in the United State
have made fights of more than fit
miles, and none of them know even tn,
'rudiments Of military aeronautical re
quirements. .,r ~. III 81. 'w'
with 5000 aeroplanes and aviators ant
sthe output of IS 600 men cannot supply
the demand of its forces, what can tn,
United States do with less than 4
score" 80 -tra'a '.... ..
What Letter Sets Forth ,..
Continuing the letter states that thu
club has started public acronaatica
Subscription, similar to the French anc
German subscriptions Of 1919 IL. Thos,
campaigns Melted the countries s., 222,
800 and $l,S0S,626, respectively. The
letter which is signed by Alan R. Haw
lev, president Of the club, follows il
full: a., III
Every aeroplane being worth q
thousand soldiers in the Mexican cam
Iaign, aeroplaness being necessary to
Protect the lives of the thousands OF
soldiers participating in the Mexican
.cgpedition, the. Aero Club-af America
is mobilizing the licensed aviators
available. equipping them with high,
powered aeroplanes, and keeping them
IN readiness to await the call Of the
war department, which will gladly
avail itself OF this reserve in case OF
reed. II will cost between $500 and
$3.50 to train each aviator, and between
$1,000 and $4,000 each for the high
powered military, aeroplanes. a w.
Eight 'Aviators Modified ''.' Z Wy.
Fright trained aviators have al
ready been mobilized. and are being
'put through course of training on
high powered aeroplanes. One hund
red thousand dollars is now being
raised to buy suitable military aero
planes, which win be turned over with
the aviators to the War Department
and will be turned over to the Militia
of different states after the Mexican
campaign. Your contribution is invit
ed to, the fund to carry out this i'm
t1,ortant work.
4 ITO be quite frank, we feel that
Congress should do this, We have felt
Sc eyer since the present war demon
strated the dire needs for substantial
cir fleets. But when we consider that
the army has only eight low powered
outing aeroplanes available to meet
such an emergency, when it SHOULD
have at least two hundred, we realize
tat if we wait for congress to do it,
duty, we may find that congress will
only 10 it after thousan ds Of Ameri
can lives have been lost because they
we're not adequately protected.
"We are asking you your cOntribu
ton to the fund to pay for these aero
IIanes, because we feel that by supply
iug these aeroplanes and aviators W.
will he able to save thousands OF
American lives.
/ Aeroplane Worth 1000 Men
can aeroplane is worth one Thousand
, men in a campaign such as is planned
in Mexico. The aviator is the onl,
soldier who does not face death il
crossing the Mexico border. Genera
4 Funston states that scouting partie
other than aviators will face death. HI
says: villa parties will at times sur
prise these scouting parties. In or
binary warfare our men might, If hope
lcssly outnumbered and the Resistance
was futile, surrender with safety. T.
surrender to Villa, however, would b
worse than suicide. Villas men will
kiH every American they can lay hand
ou., Every encounter with them mean
FIGHT to the death for our men,
Notwithstanding this, and notwith
standing the lesson of the present wa
In Europe, congress is not taking an
action to provide sufficient air ser
Vice-therefore, 1t becomes our dut
to provide the equipment from publ
subscriptions. To supply aerOplane
and aviators may. save American live
mud may shame Congress into actor
There are no funds available at presen
for the army and the next appropria
tion, which has not yet been sanctione
by congress-, will not become aVailabl
until June 80!
fhe most unfortunate situation
also that the army is so extremely shor
OF officers for all branches of the SCI
vice that it cannot increase the Il!
service without seriously hamperin
other arms. Last year. congress allow
Gd sixty officers for aviation, but
was impossible to obtain them. AS.
matter of fact, as Brig. Gen. George |
Scrivenlhas pointed out, there are onl
co. officers in the entire army eligbl
for aviation service, Until congress a,
tbOrizes substantial increase of tn
army, the only relief can be had
e"uipping militia with aeroplanes. an
that is what the National AerOplan
Fund was instituted to do, 80 F.caa.
,sHOur contribution to the Fund wi
Ia ock nnW InutTad In the lending nawgni