Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-18
Furniture and typewriter
Factories VIII Construct
Wings and Some Parts
AUTOMOBILE PLANTS TO
BIZ UTILIZED IN WORK
Military Men Believe These
Can Do More to Win War
Than Any Other Unit

Washington, June 1S.-An American
air navy of 10000 machines is the gov
ernment's aeroplane program for the
first year of the war, it was officially
learned today.
How to produce this number Of air
craft when the eight small American
aeroplane factories were unable to fill
half the government IS orders last year,
has been worked out by the aircraft
production board of the Council of Ma
tional Defense and is now told by the
United Press for the first time.
The United States will make three
main classes Of war aeroplanes:
Training planes, bombing machines
and observation aircraft
The speedier allied battle planes will
continue to be made almost entirely by
France and Great Britain, where this
type of machine has already been per-
fected.
Plants to Make Wings.
American automobile plants, in part
win be utilized to make the standard
ized engines for the 10000 aeFoplanes
the first year.
Furniture factories, typewriter plants
'and other mills equipped for the work
win manufacture the wings and other
parts.
~ These arranements, already perfected
lby Chairman Howard Coffin of the
board only await the passae by con-
gress OF the 100000, 900 aviation appro-
priation to be asked.
Three training schools for aviators
for the new air navy are already nnder
construction at Dayton, Ohio; Cham
paign, ILL.,, and Detroit, Mich. Six 9TH
crs and more, if necessary, win be es-
tablished.
Each aeroplane will cost about $1S,-
600. They will be of the slower type,
with speed Of from 70 TO 100 miles an
hour The battle planes being made in
France and Great Britain are capable
of speed of up to $50 miles.
May Cut Auto outpat.
The use of portions Of American auto
mobile plants in the manufacture of
aeroplanes may cut down on the produc-
tion Of pleasure cars, it is regarded as
likely by officials.
In the belief that American air units
can do more to turn the scale in Europe,
Secretary Of War Baker has put all his
influence behind the greatest air fleet
building program in history.
1t was in the evening Of October IL,
1908, that the German emperor stood ~
the Bornstedter field and watched the
soaring biplane Of Orville Wright, Am
erican inventor, conquer the air. IL was
the kaiser q first sight Of such a craft.
The prediction is made today by gov
eminent officials that before the year
is out the kaiser may once again see the
American aeroplane, bristling its deti-
anee, soaring over the fatheriand, the
signal of defeat for Germany"
Peary Makes Plea
Hearings continued before the sem
ate subcommittee on military affairs
today ON a hill to establish depart
ment of aeronautics in the cabinet
French officials advocating immediate
construction of great aero fleet were
heard in executive session and Rear Ad-
miral Peary continued his plea for an
aero post in the cabinet
The fact that it is intended to appro-
pirate 5000 100000 for constructing air
craft, he said, made a separate depaFt-
ment necessary.
ain Gods name, " he said, . why not
take the initiative and lead instead OF
being pushed into every move Of nation
al preparedness, as has been the case
with us for tbr past two yearsJ
"Why not make it the fixed nationai
aim of the United States 10 be the first
air power of the worldf"
Peary said VIC need aeropianes Tor
coast patrol and protection OF convoy