Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-16
Our Need of an Air Fleet.

At the outbreak of the war England had hardly
a hundred effective aerOplanes, an almost negllSl-
bic number in the swarming dangers that instantly
arose But now, according to a recent Government
report there upwards of four thousand service
able air machines available in the British aviation
CORDS This record is heartening to Americans who
have been distressed and alarmed by their countrys
lack of aeronautic equipment for war needs. III
England in the thick of all her desperate problems
of recruiting, munition making and Industrial
mobilization could create great, efficient air fleet
within something like two years, the United States
stirred as it now is with preparedness enthusiasm
and grounded as it is in preparedness princi-
PIES should be able to develop thoroughly sub
stantiaI if not formidable air defense within six
months or year.
There is not day to be lost, however, in estab-
fishing this important auxiliary of the army and
the fleet Had England been better equipped with
aeropIanes at the outset, her first army in France
might suffered smaller losses, and the Zeppelin
forays might have been put to an end sooner than
they were In the latter connection it is interest
ing to note that though Paris was comparatively
short fight from the Zeppelin base, it suffered only
few attacks in the earlier stages of the war,
while London repeatedly assaulted up until the
latter part of 1916. The difference due partly
to the fact that in the very beginning the French
organized a large and vgilant squadron of aero
plane guards for Paris.
In the event of threatened invasion the security
of the United States would lie largely in aerial
outposts both for land and sea defenses. Authori-
ties declare that one of the most effective of
coping with a a submarine onslaught would be
numerous fleet of SMALL swift cruisers in co-opera-
ton with a numerous fleet of flying machines.
Until the enactment of the preparedness measures
by Congress last year our army and navy were al
most destitute of aeronautic service. Only six
oir Wei Iab n
ing when he led the punitive EXPEDITION into Mxico.
Yet, that was undertaking for aeroplanes were
peculiarly and urgently needed.
The new Army bill provides for the training of
one thousand aviators, of whom half will be in
tive and half in reserve service The bill provides
also for:
IAN equipment which will include
planes of all the various military types for a
thorough system of training, for the mobiliza-
ton, and so far as possible the STANDARDIZED
zion, of the various industries which be
utilized in the manufacture of aeroplanes or
their equipment for military purposes, and,
lastly, for means by which any young who
can pass the mental, physical and moral test
of the regular service may obtain the prac-
teal and theoretical instruction necessary to
equip him for a commission officer of
the aerial reserve service"
Especially valuable is that part of the plan which
calls for the establishment of system of aeronautc
training schools in various portions of the country
Il would be easy enough in time of great emergency
for industrial plants to turn out aeroplanes by
scores and hundreds. But the making of aviators
is quite a different problem. The physical, mental
and moral tests to which the air fighter must meas
ure up to are extremely exacr1ng, and the training
he must undergo is a matter of long and arduous
months. In this field of preparedness, therefore,
the United States should make every moment count