Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29

- AEI HHRDs are two outstanding
10 features IN modern war
..... fare which the struggle in
Europe has brought out. :"
eaf6 Howard e. Conn. chairman Of the
Eefferaft production board of the eoun-
kaon OF national defease. "One Is the
subniArine. the other the aIrpIane. We
know believe thai America has started
Epa the right road. working out her
Edasfnyr in the air and taking thu place
kfo which her capacity entities her and
(which the world expects of her"
On that lons-drawn-out western
Efront in Europe are massed some
sleieven millions of.men divided between
sthe opposing powers The situseion
Bat the moment@fs. practically a draw.
at 10 virtually even also in regard to
fthe supremacy of the air. whichever
aside gains the control Of the air viii
I'm all probability win the war.
& It Is manifestly impossible for Amer
Eica. to send over sufncient troops at
Ponce to have an Immediate decisive
teffect on the great conflict. If Amer
stca can contribute enough airplanes
sand avistors to win for the allies the
s-ever, she may strike the blow which
5witl and the war. Air supremacy will
sblind the German army. and blinded
f-army is defeated army.
. tits now possible to say that Amer
lea can perform this great service
Iportunity. The aircraft production
hoard of the council of national de-
!fense. which is charged with the duty
eof developing industrial sources of sup
t-ply for the building of aiTplanes. Is
confident that it is entirely possible
for the United States to turn out in
5Aduantity airplsnes and airplane en-
gines suitable for use at the front, In
spite of Americas previous lack of
experience and neglect of aviation. II
program approved by the War Depart
r1rent and the President. which can be
carried out II the money is provided.
THE question Of providing the money
rests with Congress. and II is on Con-
Eress, therefore, in the last analysis.
that -the decision rests as to whether
zhe United States shall take the step
which provides Americas one great
opportunity to end the war quickly.
Before this article appears a bill will
probably have been introduced In the
House of Representatives by the War
DEPARTMENT appropriating. roughly.
S6O0IoOO.oO0 for carrying out the pro-
gram. American manufacturers are
prepared to carry through the greatest
rush building project in American his
tory. Only the money is lacking. 1t
Is Tor Congress to make it available
and place the United States in the fore
front in aerial warfare
1t Is not possible to state exactly how
many airplanes the government will
build within y year. because the nnal
decision has not been made, but the
possibilities are estimated at between
$4,000 and $4,000 airplanes and engines
in time for next summers offensive
perhaps more, IL the exigencies of the
situation demand it. Once organized,
aftes"from four to six months Of prepa-
ration. American industry can be adapt
led to turning out engines by the thou
sand weekly. 1t must be remembered
here that 5000 airplanes At the front
means that as many more must be held
! in reserve behind the lines, besides
The life Of the airplane at the front is a
brief one. and 1t must constantly be
overhauled and repaired. In addition
America must train at least 10000 avia
tors for the front by next spring. II
Congress grants the money more than
that will be available. America must
not only furnish men sufficient to man
all the machines she builds, but to sup
ply constant stream of aviators and
mechanics to the European battledelds.
Nine training fields, capable of turn.
ing out S0O av14tors every four months,
have already been authorised. and the
new bill will provide for a total Of
4wenty-four. -Four of the nine author
ICED are already under construction. and
three Of them viii be completed and
engaged in actual training work before
this article appears Under the aus
bices Of six Of the country's leading en-
E1neerfng schools, cadets have been for
weeks under preliminary training to
enter the flying schools. and from these
and others to be established later a
constant process of feeding to the big
nytug FIELDS will continue.
The task of developing sources of sup
ply for the American airplane feet is in
charge of the aircraft production board
Of the council of national defense. The
members of this board are Howard E.
C0mn. chairman. whose vision and en-