Douglas Island news., 1918-09-06
WESTERN AvIATORs
 EXCEL IN WORK Gen. Kenly Tells of Morale Among Officers and Men on the
 Pacific Coast

The War Department authorizes tlc following
 Maj. Cen Wm. L.. Kcnly director of Che Division of Military Aorouaut- les. who has returned from a trip to tuc Pacific coast. visiting tho spruce and dr country with John D. Ryan. d rector Of tho Bureau Of Aircraft Production. and later ot an of tho nyiur and balloon fields on the coast makes Che following state mcut
 The Division of Military Aero u1utics Is speeding up Che training of niers and Che schools are respond ing splcndidly Co the calls already made It Is my desire Co be ready to produce whatever number Of nicrs arc called for Training schools ore now being grouped In districts, 80 chat Che cadet nicrs may pass from ground. primary and advanced i'm sfruction all in one locality and when tho final test is passed be ready for France. 10 is also tho intention 4s classes of these cadets finish their training as aicrs Co organize them into souadrous and brigadcs, SO that thcy may be scut overseas as such and take the air at the front in Che formation in which they havc been trained
 Our study and observation and also Che experience Of officer instruc- tors who have been overseas makes ms confident that this country offers hc best training ground, not except
 ns England and France. This is nr.marny SO because WIG have un- limited room here In the United
 states We are now eQuipping our lvIur fields with experienced in-
 trugtor, Iu England and France The population Is SO great and min- labI..d areas are SO few and far be- tween that it is difficult Co locate even haIf dozen training fields, Co .4v nothing Of several dozen. Over
 here. for instance. it is difficult Co establish a ruuncry school for fear of thc damage that might be done To uoucombatauts or even Co build Inrs Guuuery schools require great areas of open ground iu isolated dis ricts. 10 Is easy to locate such fields lin thc United States and at the same time have them accessible.
 Tho spirit of che West and Che morale Of officers and men, no mat ter whether they come from Che North. East. South or West is alto | rcther splendid. They are absolutely ! fearless. show high grade of in- |teIlircucc. and are bound Co give a good account of themselves.
 One of Che fields ! visited was Nathcr Field. at Sacramento. Cal. |rh.s field has a record Of 250.o0o ! hours of flying without fatality. Another interesting place was the |balloon field ot Arcadia, Cal. whore | | saw seven balloons tn Che air at one dime The site of this field is a |murh back of which mountains rise Co elevations Che tops Of which oncr |thc same atmospheric conditions as che cadet gets suspended high in Che lair In .hc balloon basket. By taking these cadets up in these mountain tops Inc instructors can train large number at a time in observation and raurc-Guding work Instead of limit ling Che classes Co a few pairs in bal loon baskets
 We want good men iu Che air scrv- ice. and we win need them in gonor- ous numbers. As soon as che new draft regulations are determined ! win venture to say that there will |bo unlimited opportunity for young men Of Che right caliber in flying schools and on Che ground for both | this country and overseas.