Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-28
ARMY AERIAL CORPS
WAITS ON CONGRESS
Authority to Use Appropriation
Made in August. 1916. Is
Tied Up in Conference.
ALL THE LANS COMPLETED

Every day inquiries are made as to
why something has not been done
toward establishing a suitable aerial
corps for the army. The real answer
is, 1T has" But the auditor and the
controller of the Treasury tied up the
appropriation; then the last Congress
failed to legislate specifically on the
matter, although 1t had appropriated
the funds. and now the item on which
the whole aviation armament of the
country depends is in the army bill,
tied up in conference.
Ever since August, 1916. sum OF
more than s13,000,o0O has been avail
able for aeronautics: the army Dill
passed by the last Congress carried an
item of S14,2S1.766 for the sigma! serv.
ice of the army, of which SlS,zsi'eoo
was appropriated to be expended TOT
aeronauticS.
Halted by Adverse Ruling.
But when the Secretary of War. or
his representatives, endeavored to es-
tablish aviation schools. posts and ex-
perimental stations and provide storage
facilities for the army the auditor ana
controller of the Treasury ruled that
the funds appropriated in 1915, under
the limitations contained IN the piIi
could not be expended TOT THESE pui
poses
Ii would be futile to buy a lot OF aero
planes without having places ana Iaca I.i
ties for experimenting, testing anu ~ ~
ing them. or schools Where p.,,si,, y
ayiators might learn to operate them. ~
asroniane cannot be operated by any ol'e
without study and instruction ana can
NOT be stored out in the open II ldnes O
10 TO r-lln
mobile and garage is very 1ieces ss a., >
adjunct Without a place Tor storlliS CIV
protecting aircraft. or ground Ior li,e -, ia
cation of hangers. shops, etc. thefe eou. =.
be no development of the army an O.
service.
Suggestion by Secretary of war.
Following the ruling mentioned above.
the Secretary of War addressed letter
to the Speaker of the House January o.
1917, including . suggested amendment
10 the urgent deficiency bill. Authorizing
the lse of a portion OF the appropriation
for the establishment of the schools posts.
experimental stations. proving stouiiu'
and buildings necessary. .:
Congress, however. paid no attention
TO this request and the result IS that y
was found Impossible to proceed VIII
the speAing up OF the denver ~ ~
training OF students, since there is no
place available where they could pc
assembled or used. Four months or
valuable time for preparation and the
training of aviators have been lost since
the Secretary's, request through this
inaction of Congress, and today the
country is no farther advanced than
it was in August. 1916, when the ap-
preparation was made.
Plans Ready, Scheme Perfected.
At the present moment plans for
grounds and buildings are ready and
the scheme of organization is Jgfcct-
ed, but everything is held up pending
the granting of authority to utilize the
appropriation. This is provided for in
the army appropriation bill, which
passed the House April /, and the
Senate, with amendments, April IL,
1917, but which is still in coxference.
The War Department has done its
best to secure the passage of this i'm
portant legislation, and SO has the ma
tional advisory committee for aeronau-
tics. 1t is now up to Congress, espe-
cially the conferees.