The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-09
LACK OF PREPAREDNESS FOR
WAR SHOWN AT PENSAC0LA'S
AEROPLANE STATION
Visitor in Leslie's Review Reasons
he says he found why Uncle
Sam is not prepared for
Fighting)

Pensacola News }


pensacola News
More advertising for Pensacola
and the kind that attracts the at
tention of thousands of persons and
stands out in picture and story this
week in every city in the United
State where Leslie's Weekly cir
culates. 1t is descriptive article
of the progress of affairs at the Pen
acola naval station written by F. ].
Splitstone who came to this city
quietly and as quietly departed with
the information he was after.
His description of the Pensacola
naval flying station follows
Not long since the newspapers de-
scribed a new type of seaplane be-
ing built by an American manufac-
turer. Among it's qualities was a
carrying capacity of eight men,
5000 pounds of gasoline and oil and
5000 pounds of explosives. With
light load the machine has a maxi
mum speed of 100 miles an hour and
radius of 100 miles. Four $50
horsepower engines furnish power
for two tractor propellors and one
pusher while a 60-horse-power mo-
tor drives a screw popellor for use
when the machine is capable of
climbing to an altitude of 10000
feet in a short time and carries a
1 1-2 inch gun. The cost of such a
machine is placed at $4,000.
Having visited the United States
Aeronautic Station at Pensacola
shortly before l read the description
of this new marvel of the air l die
not need to be told that it was not
being built for the United States
Such aeroplanes are not for the de-
tense of the country that invented
the heavier-than-air flying machine
1t cannot afford them, though it ha
half the wealth of the world. 1t
! mechanics build them to sell to othe
countries. At home we must be con
, tent with little, antiquated machine
| of the kind that used to draw
4 crowds to the county fairs.
The flying equipment Of the Unit
ed States navy has it's headquarters
n at Pensacola 1t consists of abou
J. Is machines, of which only abou
n one-half are fit for service at an
y given time. Thirty officers are try
D. ing to fit themselves for the mos
Is daring and dangerous service ths
one can render his country in tin
a of war-that of aerial scout
pressing is the need of more qualifie
pilots that, since no more officers ca
e. be spared, ten men of superior a
re tainments have been selecaed fro
u the 100 that make up the enlist,
o personnel of the station, for trainiI
" in fight.
- 1t is difficult for civilians to g
y the viewpoint of the splendid your
- officers who make up the aeronaut
:, corps. The great gulf that divid
:, the American civilian from /
brother in the military service
whether on land or sea-interven
-, between your ideals and theirs.
III you or / were set by an employer
IN. accomplish difficult task with who
90 inadequate tools we would decil
an the job--and tell the miserly m
,se creant who beguilded us few pls
lev facts about his characteristics a
oar ultimate destination.
nat Not SO with the navy. 1t tai
Idy what is provided it and does its be
ro- Navy men are not allowed to CO
to plain nor demand what they n,
'es. and deserve They know that in C
aul of war-which is what they
|. trained for-they would face de,
with an equipment hopelessly ini
wi Tor to that Of the enemy; but fac,
EAR they would. and courageously.
per, Let this fact sink into your mi
lck- The United States navy has not,
like day, one aeroplane of any descript
en- fit for service in case of war.
ght- Our aviators would attempt
ives render service with the old-fash
sen ed, underpowered, poorly-equiI
sar- machines they have, but in doing
a'eS they would be committing suicid
'ni' the name of patriotism. What W.
no happen to the fleet that they W,
be supposed to guard may be lef
~ the imagination.
-. The blame for such a conditio
affairs does not rest on the civi
head of the department. 1t !
squarely with Congress, W
bo,a through its control of the p,
Low. army as well-frmly in it's 81
~ and which has never been able t.
e so. 'n'os'A 10 POI oeniai 'l nv
.h0 of a complete and fully equipped
Boas vice.
,ob The Naval Aeronautic Station
,ho an ideal location on Pensacola
but beautiful sheet of water, "
ore summer reigns eternal and W
font every natural requirement for a
ono ing school is found: but it has
onr place only because the depart
o be owned an aoondoheu naval st'