The Raymer enterprise., 1917-09-20
STRIKE GERMANY THROUGH THE AIR."
SLOGAN OF AIRCRAFT ORGANIZATIONS
Recent Conference Washington Shows the Great Importance Of
the Participation Of the United States in This Regard-as
Better Facilities Than the Allies Had at the Be-
ginning ofthe War.

WaSnlngtOn.-We MuSt otrlke Ter
many Through the Air Is the new slo-
gan which has resulted from the meet
Ing In Washington of members of the
aircraft production board of the Unit
ed States and the board Of governors
Of the Aero Club Of America, after
study Of the present war situation and
Of the ways and means for carrying
on an effective campaign Of education.
Alan R. Hawley, president of the
Aero Club Of America, issued the fol.
lowing statement:
"Germany's U-boat warfare and the
necessity Of keeping the German fleet
bottled up are occupying the navies of
the allies, and no decisive victory over
the Germans is expected in naval ac-
tons In the near future. Likewise ad-
vances against the Germans on land
are slow, and Germany has seemed
able so far to always throw new thou
sands of men and new lines of
trenches and countless guns to meet
the advances Of the allies. The only
victories on the part Of the allies SO
far have been as result Of supremacy
Of the air, as q result Of the matching
Of skilful, daring allied aviators
against German aviators and observa-
ton balloons.
Masters In the Air.
ut was not until the Germans were
deprived of their aerial eyes and the
allies aviators, being masters of the
air, could follow the movements of the
enemy and locate their batteries and
their strongholds, that the allied vic
tories became possible.
"While the United States Is begin
ming to help substantially now, effec-
tive help of the kind that leads to per-
manent victory can only come at the
end Of months Of preparation, and In
considering in which way we can best
prepare to help to achieve permanent
victories 1t Is found that the aerial
branch of the service affords the great
est possibilities.
British. French, Russian, Italian
and American authorities who have
studied the matter closely have come
to the conclusion that the addition Of
10000 aviators today to the allies
present aerial forces would insure
binding the German batteries and pre-
venting German aviators from conduct
ing operations over or near the allies
lines. An additional 10000 aviators
would make 1t possible to conduct
aerial raids on large scale and to
strike Germany In the most vital
places, to strike hard enough to lead
to permanent victories"
The authorities who met in Wash
ington readily agreed that every effort
should be concentrated In, striking Ger
many through the air. Several in
stances during the meeting emphasized
that although different persons pres
ent had obtained their information
from separate sources, their informa-
ton was practically alike.
| Board Of Governors Meets.
The meeting of the board Of gov
ernors of the Aero Club Of America
was held In Washington and Howard
q. Coffin, the chairman Of the aircraft
production board, who Is also a mem
Der Of the board Of governors of the
club, presided. The members of the
board present were: Mr.. Hawley,
James A. Blair, Jr.; w. Redmond
Cross, Charles Edwards, Max II.
Tleischmann, John Hays Hammond,
Jr.; Capt. James L. Miller, Raymond
B. Price, Henry A. Wise Wood and
Henry Woodhouse.
Having reached the conclusion that
efforts must be concentrated to get
and train thousands Of aviators and
arrange to manufacture tens of thou
sands Of modern airplanes of differ
ent types for training, bomb-dropping,
artillery spotting, fighting machines
and submarine destroyers, the board
next turned to consider the ways and
means Of getting the aviators and ma
chimes.
To do this the aviation training fa-
Glities and the sources Of supplies for
aircraft must be; greatly extended. II
was shown that at the beginning Of the
war Great Britain did not have one
third Of the aeronautic manufacturing
facilities we have In the United States
today and there was read a statement
from the British controller Of aero
nautic supplies reporting that there
are 058 firms engaged on work for the
British directorate Of aeronautic sup
plies, 801 Of which are direct contrac'
tors and 657 ARE sub.contractors. This
report states that the total number Of
hands employed by the so firms Of
greater prominence is 66,700.
There was also brought out the fact
that the British budget for aeronautics
for the present year totals $575, 600,
900. This is made public as q result
Of its publication In connection witt
discussion which took place In thu
house Of commons recently. England
and Trouno. hnI 20 aos.a w, frarn (