The Washington herald., 1917-02-04
Army and Navy News
beat service Column IN City.

Best Service Column IN City.
The United States is woefu'ly behfnq
other nations In the number or trained
! men able to operate aeroplanes. Army
officials estimate that the average man
at the end of two years service in the
army is worth one-half soldier. An
| aviator able to fly after three months In
struction is worth 100 soldiers, they esti-
mate. An expert aviator at the end OF
a years training, according to LORD
| Kitchener, Is worth an entire army corps,
while Gen. Pershing declares that one
aviator is the equivalent of an entire
| cavalry squadron.
| 1t was not until Villas raid on Colum-
bus that this country awoke to the fact
| that eight aeroplanes were all we mad
available to meet an emergency. and that
the names Of Langley, Wright, Curtiss,
I and others, all American pioneers in
America, were like the prophet, mot
| without honor save In their own country
| Congress then passed an appropriation
of $4,000 900 for aeronautics for land and
water defenses. Up to date close to $50,-
100000 has been allowed
| Today the United States lacks in round
figures, about 1900 aeroplanes, 25 dirigi-
bles, and 80 observation balloons to make
this country seventh in aeronautic equip
ment for aeronautic defense. We have
only about 100 trained military avtators,
and plans to train about 400 more. Yet
the aviation section of the Signal Corps
has received about / 400 applications from
| candidates. There is is no dearth of men
| competent to fly and willing to learn; only
the machines and equipment are missing,
and that now is being supplied as rapid
ly as possible.
Germany at present has more than 5000
ayiators and about 1000 machines in
I lsaf1 l.. a.
building machines to carry fifteen tons.
equipped with high speed motors of 300
horsepower England has 107 aviation
and kite balloon training schools, and Is
rapidly drawing near her plan to have
10000 aeroplanes In service. In the Royal
Flying Corps there are all told 100000
men, including officers, aviators, gunners.
mechanics, repair men, and others con-
nected with the business of flying
Secretary Lane has approved the appli-
cations of ninety-three topographic en-
glneers in the Geological Survey, Depart
ment of the Interior, for commissions in
the Engineer Officers Reserve Corps OF
the army. This corps is established in
conformity with the general plan, now
being rapidly worked out by the War
Department to organize and have in
stantly available for active service in
time of need large number OF specially
qualified men. The Topographic surveys
and maps made by the Geological Sur
vey are recognized as absolute war neces-
stiles, and this survey is now carrying
on special field work in cooperation with
the Engineer Corps of the army to pro-
duce military maps. The field engineers
of the Geological Survey are all men OF
| special training and wide experience.
The twenty-three men whose names fol-
low have passed the necessary army eX-
animation. and II is understood that their
commissions as members of the Reserve
| Corps will soon be issued by the War De-
partment: Frank Sutton, Glenn S. Smith,
Edwin Caleb Burt, Frank Allison Dan
forth. Aldace Henry Dawson, John Ross
Eakin, Elmer Lamont Hahn, George
Thompson Hawkins, William Harrison
Heron, Bertram Andrews Jenkins, James
Henry Jennings, Luria Lyons Lee. Leroy
| Streeper Leopold, James McNair Rawls,
| Robert Bradford Marshall, William Laval
Miller, Thomas Hughes Moncure, Robert
Muldrow, Charles Henry Pierce Asahel
Benson Searle. Oliver Guy Taylor, Albert
Maynard Walker, and John Harold Will
son.
The remaining seventy applications
from topographic engineers have been
| forwarded by the director of the Geolo-
gtcal Survey to Secretary Lane. who has
trdnSultted lnem WIN his approval TO
the War Department. They are as fol-
| lows: James w. Bagley, Newton z. Ball
| mer. Edward NJ. Bandit, Thomas NJ. Ban
non, Ralph W. Berry, Lewis F. Biggs,
| Claude H. Birdseye, Sidney H. Birdseye,
| John E. Blackburn, Albert o. Burkland.
| Robert H. Chapman, Raymond G. Clinite
Charles H. Davey. George r. Davis, Will
lam Z. Dickinson, Jesse A. Duck, Basil
Duke, Conrad A. Ecklund, Richard T.
Evans, Charles r. Fisher, Samuel P.
ty. Wilmer s. Genres, Thomas G. Gerdine,
Calvin E. Gifln, Lawrence B. Glasgow,
William II. Griffin, Duncan Hannegan,
Charles Hartmann. Oliver W. Hartwell,
! Russell NJ. Harrington, Walter F. Hicks,
Herbert II. Hodgeson, Clyde c. Holder,
Frank w. Hughes. Emory I. Ireland.
Oscar Jones, Sidney A. Judson, Andrew
J. Kavanagh, Clyde B. Kendall. Reuben
A. Kiger, James A. Leavitt, Dallas H.
Watson, Joseph H. Wheat, John L. Lewis,
Sigurd G. Lunde, Harry L. Mcdonald,
Eugene l. McNair. Joseph B. Metcalfe,
jr., Roy r. Monbeck, William H. s
Morey, Kostka Mudd, Oscar II. Nelson
Alexander J. Ogle, Thomas P. Pendleton,
Stuart T. Penick, Albert Pike, Roscoe
Reeves, Arthur c. Roberts, Leo B.
Roberts. Martin A. Roudabush, Carl L.
Sadler, Rufus II. Sargent, T. Foster
Slaughter, John G. STACK. Clarence A.
Stonesifer, William 0. Tufts, Frank L.
Whaley. and James NJ. Whitman, jr.
The total number of applications for
| army commissions thus far submitted
amount to 80 per cent OF the topographic
| field force Of the Geolo yical Survey.
-