American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-04-26
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE IN
THE AIR.

over the lighting front IN Picardy
the air has been 80 thick with flying
craft as weli-nlgh TO darken the sun,
and q British aviator tells how his
task In those first days OF the German
drive was very much like "maneuver-
ing "a car down Fifth avenue on a
crowded afternoon In fact, as he
remarked TO a New York newspaper
man, as many men OF the British Fly
Ing corps were brought down from
collision as from gun-fre" His mes
sage rs that our allies need alrpianes
even more than they need men they
want planes "as fast az we can turn
them out. and nOt by the hundreds,
but by the thousands" And Il was
largely this very belief that w could
produce planes by thousands in a few
months that has led to the recent out
cry against those In charge Of our air
program. Had we spoken In hun
dreds. instead OF thousands. we would
to-day ind our performance more near
ly iustihying our promises. and the
explanations OF unforeseen difficult
ties and hRndicaps would be more
charitahly received. Besides. editors
observe. the frantic boasts and fool
ish words" from official or semioffi-
cial sources In Washington spurred
Germany on TO meet the coming mei.-
ace OF an American air offensive. so
that she is today said 10 be producing
200 airplanes a day. Even Germany's
decision TO stake 80 much ON a 1918
offensive may have been partly based
on some apprehonsiOns that by another
year America might actually be In a
position TO win the war In the air"
AZ any rate. the more sober newspa-
per observers agree, WI have done
less than our allies have expected OF
as and. whatever the cause OF short
cOminRs In the past, ne should 80 or
der our ways In the future as 10 Sc
cure the miximum production Of al
craft. And here Republican and Dem
Ocratio dailies. Republican and Dem
Ocratic members OF the senate com
mittee ON military affairs. a%eronautical
societies and journals. authorities like
Admiral Peary and Alan r. Hawley
agree that one-man control is essen
tial to success.
Since much OF the newspaper dis
cussion OF aerial deficiencies and re-
guiremcnts Is based upon the utter
ances OF senate committees and lndt-
yldunl senators. II may be well To give
the floor first to Senator Hitchcock.
IN a recent speech the senator recall
ed that last summer the aircraft
board promised the enormous number
OF 10000 combat planes by a certain
date OF the present year. Later on,
this estimate was reduced TO $4,000.
still later. around November In last
year. the estimate was reduced. as the
senator recalled. 20 1000. On the first
OF December. 10 quote Mr.. Hitchcock,
IL was again reduced and has been
gradually reduced ever since. until
now we are promised 1000 combat
planes hy July l." In March a sup
posedly authoritative statement from
Washington promised that before the
middle OF April shipments OF combat
planes will be moving by car loads.
and hy the middle OF May they will
be- moving hy train loads"
So much for promises. ON the
floor % the senate Mr. New. OF In
diana. recently Informed questioning
colleagues that he had assurance from
headquarters that the delivery IN
France OF no more han 81 planes
could be- counted by July l. Our
readers will recall Secretary Bakers
statement that quantity production OF
combat planes is now well under way
and hat several machines have been
delivered In France. But on April 10
the majority Of tho senate committee
on military affairs reported that just
n combat plane had been shipped
abroad The committee at the same
time gave other information. much OF
which vas more cheerful. and all OF
which is Of extreme interest Some
critics OF the committee. indeed. are
certain that the German general staff
urohted by the detailed disclosures
The figures given by the committee
showing the present state OF our air
program are thus presented In con
densed form by the Washington cor
respondent Of the Chicago Tribune:
Liberty motors ordered %. 500
Liberty motors completed 264
Liberty motors shipped abroad 4
Primary training planes manu-
featured Sass
Advanced training planes man
ufactured 342
Combat planes 0oreign en-
ginesl completed . Is
Combat planes shipped abroad l
Advance training planes en-
gines built sos
Aviation schools in United
States 20