New-York tribune., 1918-04-10
Post-Mortems

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Why not institute a system Of max
ing these inquiries "before the horse is
stolen? The people are growing weary Of
post -mortem" inquiries which only estab'
lish the fact that somebody has bundered
but. when discovered. promises to do better
Now, the truth of the matter is that mos
of the troubles in the aerial programs
are fundamentally and directly the results
Of bad policies. When thing is funds
mentally wrong "doctoring" VIII never pro
duce healthy organization. The causes 0!
the trouble must be eliminated.
To a certain extent these troubles in The
aerial programme are brought about by the
fact that new science in warfare and al
undeveloped art and industry have beer
forced onto an apathetic people and gov
ernment which, under the pressure OF pow
erful corporations, politics and other IN
fluences, have conjured up an aerial pro
gramme featured in abnormalites suited TO
the purposes of the various powers behno
the scenes.
The "secret" cross license agreement il
one of the evidences of the power of cor
porations to get what they want and maze
the United States government and peope
in effect, a party to an agreement" whch
no business concern would have accepso
because Of its vicious nature and one-sldsS
benefits.
The first fundamental "bull" in the aeria
programme was the defeat Of the plan ~
a department of the air" Who did It, =
short answer to long story can be coveFs0
by the statement that there are more res
sons for a department. OF the air than 'a'
many good reasons which led to the cFes
tion of the departments Of War and 'l'
Navy.
The second fundamental error in pola
IN the present programme was the dlVisiv'
of direction and responsibility between 'a'
army, the navy and dollar-a-year men ~a'
have outside business interests to set's
The aircraft organization is kind OF thfse
cornered business proposition in which '"'
different corners have different lnteress
and divided responsibility. with the resu"
that no one is wholly responsible for any
thing.
The third fundamental feature IS u'
doubtedly the policy of production VIZ, p'
question Of the manufacture Of aer'ai Sp
paratus being carried on in governmea
factories or by industrial organlza''ou.
This is a matter which is OF vital impV''
and farreaching consequences to the p's
pie of the United States. and since 'h'.'
has been more or less talk of the COVE
ment taking over aeroplane factories -
people should understand the situation
The difference is this the goverh"'L
may advantageously manufacture su..
products as warships and big guns oe'sSs. ~.
these are not peace time Industries. ~
aircraft business, however, is TO be one
the greatest commercial Industries Oh -
world
While the people are spending billions =.
dollars for aircraft and other war appa'
tus the policy should be to develop as musI W.
as possible commercial industries
healthy independent manufacturing ois-,
Zauons, because these industries ana o's
iAations are n great national asset sHs'
thelr Development the country seS
double return for its war expenditure
Inc perfection OF the automobile a. az,
sehicie and an industry could never -, Il
oeeh accomplished by government W. ". Al
required the competition Of thousas's I'M
manufacturers and the ingenuity anu
VI the worlds inventors and engineers. .,s
we cannot grow our wheat in HOVER r,s.
ana neither can we develop our aef's, ''rasr sri
iatus III q government laboratory a"u
system of secrecy II the goVe'"',h n,
ooes not mobilize the inventive GENUS
engineering skill and the indcpenaen' .aau
u'ac'uring organizations of the whoi' ss;lea
r! II VIII fail, and this is why II mas -
ana Will continue to fail ..,rr
Brooklyn. April 5. 1918.