The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-08-04
URGED
TO RUSH AER0S
TO THE WAR
"Must Act Quickly" Says
N. Flandin, Head of AL
lied Air Board.
"COLLEGE MEN WANTED"
E'Would Like United States to
Build Our Trucks So We
May Turn Out Motors"
"COLLEGE MEN WANTED"
Special cas,s Despo,cA to TIE srx

Special CABLE Despatch to TIE Sex.
PAaIs, Aug. S.--ThS war win be won
In the air; America can contribute most
effectively to this end, but ehe must act
quickly; no time should be lost In send
ing the maximum number OF airplanes
and aviators.
This Ia the carefully weighed opinion
of Pierre Etienne Flandln, Deputy and
chairman Of the 1nteraliies Aeronautic
Commission. The appropriation by Con-
gress of 3e40,000 900 for the aviation
service and the arrival Of the first OF the
army OF American aviators are most
welcome to France.
NJ. Flandin consented to give the cor
respondent Of THE Sun a statement on
this subject. He eaid:
"You must bear In mind that the
average life of an airplane on the battle-
front IL not more than two months.
Therefore In order to keep 5000 ma
chlnes In active commission for one year
1t is necessary to furnish 10000. Each
machine, in the period OF Its activity.
viii use at least two motors, SO that
| 10000 motors will be required.
These motors must be constructed.
| tested and prepared Tor service two
months In advance OF the time when
they viii be assembled with the air
| planes, which means that the entire out
put will have to be turned out In ten
monthR
The immensity of q programme call
| ing for the construction, as has been
suggested. Of 100000 airplanes would
stagger any country not possessing the
| great industrial resources OF the United
States. Americas contribution may be
/ divided into material and personnel.
Standardized Machines.
The airplanes should be constructed
| entirely In the United States, and a.
many as possible built on standardized
| plans, SO that the parts will be inter
changeable. The machines then should
be dismounted and shipped to France
to be reassembled here by the Aviation
Service Corps. which will be part Of thu
American expeditionary force.
This Is necessary for the reason tha
France needs all her skilled workmeI
in other lines and also because It woult
not be wise. owing to labor conditions
to bring American civilian machinistl
here to do the work In question. Tn,
labor problem in France 10 very seriou
In this connection. and the United State
could do much to alleviate the situation
I'VE have thousands OF AUTOMOBILE
men doing transport work and hundred
Of factories are building motor trucks
II the United States. with It's large mum
Der Of plants. would build these cars ant
send them here with men to run them
II would enable US to divert our skillet
workmen from these factories and man
ufacture motors for the airplanes whicl
America will supply. for I am convince'
that for the present. at least American
airplAnes should have French built mo
tors
I'VE have experlmented continuously
for the last three years and are now pro
ducing motors equal to the severe de
mands which the aerial warfare Of 10
day makes. There are many factorie
where these motors could be built. but a
present they are making automobiles
We have the machinery and the skille
workmen; we can produce the motor
more rapidly and TO a greater degree Q
perfection than would be the case wer
It necessary to build and equip neV
plants.
Field for College Men.
"An idea Of the number OF men re
uuired behind the lines for the maintt
nance OF an aerial army may be gaine
J from the statistics Of our department. {
. aviation. which calculates that 5000
{ men are needed for every 1000 airplans
{ at the front ...
AS to personnel, I have the greatel
> confidence that the alert and quick witts
4 pilots that the United States will sen
= us will have In high degree the inltil
. tive and resourcefulness which are Wit,
a to the aviator These qualities are n,
4 where better developed than In the youu
: manhood OF America. The air serviC
8 should appeal to young college men. q
pecially those who have taken an actl,
\ part In athletics.
I These aviators should receive Il
k greater part of their training befo
: coming to France. All details OF hai
/. ding the planes should be learned ther
Il When they arrive here they would
n ready to receive instruction In bait
d tactics. observation work. artillery CO
- troll and reconnaissance. French fiyii
q men of wide experience will impart the
knowledge in special camps establish,
9 for the purpose
d ''The reason for preliminary trainil
% In the United States is obvious we ca
= not spare many of our airmen as I
. structors, we need them at the front :"
In closing his statement, NJ. FIand
. said imprOssively;
o Again let me emphasize the impo
= tance of quick action. The sooner I
10 United States gets machines and men
II France the greater viii be her contrib
y ton TO the cause OF clViIEatiOn and
sooner the war win end"
Il As illustrating N. Flandln's remar
, about the training OF q flying army. It
y interesting to note that at one schC
II where 100 pilots are receiving Instru
D. tions $4,000 gallons OF gasolene and /
y 900 gallons OF castor oil are us
y monthly.
T. uol. Mitchell HOnOrea.
,r Col. william s. Mitchell. head Of 1
" American Aeronautie Mission to Fran
10 was officially received last night at
Aero Club OF France. Speeches W,
ID made by Henry peutseh de Ia Meurtl
ir president of the club: Daniel Vince
of Under Secretary OF Aviation. and Ser
u tor CASTOR Menier.
Col. Mitchell warmly thanked I
speakers In the name OF American a
ators and spoke highly OF the perfect
he operation he had found in official. m
tary and private aviation circles.
President Deutsch de la Meurthe d
Sentsd . silver plaquetts to Col. Mitch
Va Grenade wounds Two Americal
AMERICAN TRAINING CANT IN FRAN
n Aug. S.-An American interpreter an,