Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-16
AIRMEN Of THE ALLIES
TO Be TRAINED IN u. S.
American to Construct Practice Ma.
chimes and Leave European Plants
Free to Make Battle Planes.

AS United States manufacturers of
aircraft are not at this time equipped
for making battle planes. and must de-
velop type but are n in sie ssan1ans to
needed. it is now contemplated that
the United States shall be the great
training field for aviators of all the al
lied nations. The aircraft production
board of the council of national de-
Tense has formulated such plans.
Battle craft construction would then
occupy the French and British plants
exclusively. In the meanwhile. the de-
velopment of an American type OF bat
tie craft would permit the United States
to provide by next spring a formidable
and steadily increasing addition to the
French and British air squadrons.
Our plan contemplates nothing less
than driving the German fiiers out Of
the air and maintaining constant raid
ing patrol over territory for fifty miles
back of the fighting lines" said Chair
man Howard +. Coffin OF the board, IN
a statement. IF we carry through our
program to produce the thousands Of
machines planned. the permanent SUI
premacy of the allies in the air is as
sured. What we need is the money to
carry the program through.
The American training machlne mas
already been made the standard for all
the allies in order that parts may be
interchangeable. While existing Amer
lean plants are said to be able to sup
ply only 10 per cent OF the number
of machines wanted. arrangements
have been made for the conversion of
numerous automobile and other fac
tories for airplane building.
Europe to Send Aviators Here.
If European aviators are sent to the
United States for elementary training.
the number of training fields will be
increased to a score or more and addf-
tional universities will be designated
to give technical aviation courses.
Thousands could be given a degree Of
knowledge and skill on this side of
the water, and that would make it
only a matter for a few weeks at
most after their arrival in France
before they could join the active
chimes and equipment would be fur
nished to them in France.
Mr.. Collins statement was prompted
by report from Paris that Germany
expected to put $500 additional planes
at the front by next spring.
Compared with the number of air
planes on which both group of bellig-
erents SO far have been able to rely"
he said. "a new force Of 3 500 planes
next spring might well prove discour-
British alone probably cannot more
than hold their own against Germany's
output. Pitted against Americas added
resources. properly organized, the
situation Immediately changes. 1t we
can carry through our program to pro-
duce the thousands of machines plan
ned. the permanent supremacy of the
allies in the air is assured.
THE allies so far have not been able
to develop the use Of bombing machines
70 the needed extent because they
could not secure enough airplanes to
carry out this work upon a great
scale. We should furnish them the
necessary number of airmen to drive
all hostile machines to the ground and
carry out the bombing as we'll as the
observation work unhindered"