Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-14

WASHINGTON. July IA warm
dispute has developed In connection
with the now aircraft program. over
tho question of who shall be In charge
Of the building and operation of our
aerial navy. On tho ono hand. there
are those who want to SEQ an aviation
department established. similar to the
War and Navy Departments. OF equal
rank with these. it's head to sit in tho
cabinet as az tenth member On the
other side is tho party opposed to
the creation of such a department. and
In favor of Keeping the aviation SER
vice under tho War and Navy Depart
ments.
Among the most prominent advocates
or separate aviation department. is
isear admiral Peary. who was one of
inc first to awaken the country to the
Importance of an adequate air service
various members of both houses of
congress also favor the proposed de-
partment OF aviation, as do numerous
ci'iiian authorities. bill to create the
oepartment was introduced In Congress
carly In April, and now that the build
ing program has been enormously, in
creased with corresponding; increase
III organization and detail work. sun
Porters OF the aviation department. idea
claim that the amount Of extra work
~ overtaS the organizations OF tho
war ana Navy Departments
Opposed to I>s Creation.
On the other hand. men in high DO
si'lons' both official and civilian. are
opposed to the creation of n sep1rate
nepartment OF aviation Secretary
haker and Secretary Daniels appeared
neiore n House committee considering
vi. question. and while supporting the
ne" building program unconditional,v
gave IL as their opinion that the crca-
.,oh Oh the new department at this
'ine would be inopportune and not in
inc interests Of efficiency II is uu
aorstood that they compared III. pro-
J.ct 10 the establishment OF a suama-
rihe department. distinct from the Nayv
department. or an artillery department
instinct from the War Department. The
dr piane Is weapon either for sea war
UT iahd war. according to this view. and
can pest be co-ordinatcd with the work
OF other land or sea weapons by being
Sept under the same supreme command
90 AZ 'hls writing 1t is still uncertain
"he'hcr we Will have an aviation de-
partmcnt 10 look after our aerial navy
VI not put 1t does not seem probable
me views Of the secretaries before tho
'''ii''ry committee were given in
secret but 1t Is understood that n com
Piete pan has been worked out 10 CO.
ordinate the existing aviation sections
y. INC var and Navy Departments with
other oiiicia, agencies already e,istinr
ana sun others yet TO he created into
ono whole. which will be capabIe Of
commissioning the aviation service no
matter how large 1t may grow.
attacked From Many Angles.
nc existing agencies for devcloplnc
the aviation service are numerous and
various They show how the problem
vi aviation has been attacked in IN.
past from numerous different angles
ana also the need for welding all these
inherent parts into n single whole I,
shoulo DC remarked tina, these different
agencies are working together very
smoothly to-day. united by their COM
mon enthusiasm for the same cause.
10 look after tho aviation service we
nave the War Department, as repre.
sented by the signal corps; the Navy
department. represented on three ,oint
boards: the aircraft production boards.
subcommittee OF the advisory com
mission to the Council of National De-
iense; and the national advisory COM
mittee for acronautics. which was
created by act OF Congress IN March,
1918 go
Besides these. the Department OF
commerce Is re0r +scri.l by IN. I'ur.1u
or Standards. whoa IS OVERSEEING. n
constantly increasing amount of the
most important :es.s and research
work The Aero Ciuo Of America is en-
titled TO be listed alongside the Of
hcial agencies. Tor IL has supplied the