Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-06-20

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means of getting the aviators and ma
chimes.
To do this the aviation training ia
c'iities 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 statement
from the British controller of aero
nautic supplies reporting that there
are 95S firms engaged on work for the
| British directorate OF aeronautic sup
| plies. 3Ol of which are direct cOntrac-
tors and 65T 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, 0O0-
| 900. This is made public as result
| OF its publication In connection with
discussion which took place In the
house of commons recently. England
and France had TO come up from a
| production of a few alrplanes month
| to the present production of about A.
900 airplanes month and have had to
| do that with limited resources in per-
sonnet and materials. The United
| States today has a better start than
either France or England had at the
| beginning of the war and 1t has ire
mendOus resources in workmen and
materials.
1t is oil question of adopting an
extensive enough campaign to insure
large production and of placing orders
| for continuous deliveries of airplanes
and training of aviators and mechanics
in large numbers. To do that there
will be required large appropriations.
| but no trouble is anticipated In that
direction.
The governments committee on pub
lie information has issued the follow
ing statement regarding part of the
details of the steps already taken to
train aviatOrs in large numbers;
Last month a group of army Off
GERS visited the training camp of the
Royal Flying corps at Borden, Ont,
one of the four camps established in
| Canada, and the aviation school at
Toronto. where cadets are trained I'M
der military discipline for the service.
In these schools there has been incor-
porated the latest European experience
In the development of this new art of
the air.
"Our officers were deeply impressed
with their observations. and as re-
suit we called together here the heads
of six prominent engineering schools,
| which also have military training, and
made arrangements to establish a sim
liar system In the United States. The
six institutions are the Universities of
California, Texas, Illinois and Ohio,
Massachusetts Institute of TechnoI-
ogy and Cornell university. Three
technical instructors from each of
these places were sent to Toronto.
They returned after a comprehensive
study of the course given there. pre-
pared to teach 1t themselves. These
six engineering schools have opened
similar cadet aviation schools at their
respective institutions.
Courses in Aviation.
These cadet schools might be de-
scribed as laboratory courses In ayia-
ton. The students are given thorough
instruction in the theory of flying, in
Guiding the necessary physics and
mathematics and the mechanics of air
plane construction. The training
schools are thoroughly equipped with
samples of airplane parts and instru-
ments for demonstration, as well as
textbooks. Technical matters relating
to map-making, photography. bomb
dropping, sun-sighting and all similar
subjects which a military aviator must
know are also taught: All during this
time the cadet is under military train
ing, following the methods which Great
Britain and Canada have found so sue
cessful. At the end of two months of
this preliminary work the cadet is Civ
en- final test to determine whether
he shall go on to the aviation camp.
General Squier's office has been
tons from persons who wish TO become
military aviators have been turned
over to this department. over which
Prof. Hiram Bingham of Yale has been
given general direction by General
Squier, and there have been far more
applicants than could be admitted.
The schools began on May 10 and %
cadets week are entering each of
the six colleges. which means that as
soon as the first entering class COM
pletes its preliminary work approx
mately $50 students a week will be
available for the regular training camp
with a good ground work on which to
start their practical training.
Six Hundred Cadets in Six Colleges
There will be 600 cadets in
the six colleges by July In the
meantime arrangements are going
ahead for the nine aviation fields TO re
ceive their men when they are ready.
The aircraft production board is work
ing constantly with the military de
partments in preparing for the CON
struction of these fields. The standard
field on which we are basing our pro-
gram will provide for accommodate ting
two squadrons of $50 students Zach
with the necessary officer instructors
and enlisted men. together with GER
tain number of additional enlisted Iaen