New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-06
The Quest of
Perfection
To the Editor of The Tribune,

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The questions raised by the mani
test insutiiciency of the Liberty motor to
come up to the expectations Of it's design
ers OR TO equal the better types of airplane
engines now produced abroad go deeper
than the matter of the high ability and
great technical! efficiency possessed by
United States engineers. We are here pre-
scented with the inevitable consequences CT
one of our root faults as a nation, namely,
species of provincialism; a notion that,
no matter what may be produced in other
countries, we can improve upon it at home.
The British had good rife, one that did
the work and shot we'll enough under all
circumstances which were likely to arise
What is more, it was substantially foM-
proof and declined to get out Of order even
when subjected TO gross abuse. Such rifle
our own factories were turning out by the
hundred thousand. We did not adopt it, but.
instead, undertook to devise something sup
posed to be better, until, at last, failing in
this attempt, we went back to what we
might have started with-the British
weapon.
&c. too, with regard to the French rs, a
held gun which the admiration and
the envy OF all other European powers. We
could not adopt that without first under
]N''A''> !" oNItCI II, QJOu WHICH process OF
1actltlous Improvement we wasted six
months which might have been used in let
ting we'll enough alone and building that
Our machine gun experience involves the
same story. model Of proved efficiency
lay ready at hand, everything about it
demonstrated by our allies by actual use
IN the field to be sufficient for our needs
But what is good enough for mere for
elgner is, naturally, not good enough for
US. 10 admit that would be confession
that perhaps, others may have something
to teach u.s.
Airplane Difficulties
The same temperamental defect will be
found to lie at the base of our airplane diff
cultles. Common sense would have pointed
out that we could not hope suddenly and
with one great leap to bridge the gap that
lay between our comparative incxperence
and the intensive experience which three
years OF actual warfare had given the
french, the Italians and the British in air.
plane constructions that we could not sur
pass, or even equal, by work on the drawing
BOARD the results which our allies had
gained, day by day, in the machine shops.
1T would have been the part of wisdom to
nave begun BY making the European best
IN tnc different classes Of air motors and
thereafter to undertake improvements as
THESE were suggested by actual experience.
\ GU might as we'll say that if a successor
were to be appointed to the present head
OF the Steel Trust he should begin by up
sectlng the work of his predecessor, instead
Oh DONG what he most assuredly would do
ana that is to be very certain he had gotten
ms scat good and warm before maxine, anv
.""hseS Oh any sort tor any reason, however
tempting
Of
our alrplane programme is not then. to he
found in the fact that our engineers AFRO
not possessed of high ability and great
originality, or that we overstated and over
advertised our intended accomplishments at
the start. The trouble is we tried to do
something Which we should never have at
'e"pted IN the first place, and which we
were led TO attempt by our lack of crit
cal attitude toward our own possibilities Of
achievement.
The Kaiser Wouldn't Wait
one OF our army officers last summer do
!Nered lecture before a special audienca
III NE" YORK, IN which he explained tho |
various pieces OF equipment necessary for
our army, their numbers and relative rro.
portions, and then proceeded to saw that
'he army of the United States would not
'''oSe until IL was completely equipped and |
perfect instrument for it's intended mr.
pose. mat was, in a way, the attitude of
many down in Washington We pronosed to
nav nave 'he best army ever, the best Of cverv-
.niig IN the army and nothing lac>ino in
us completeness. Then we were roino onr
TO nGnt and to wipe the Tcuton off the
, lae'ie"eld' But, unfortunately, the Kaiser
oc'ng somewhat unreasonable would 49,
walt until we had sounded the oonr 30
token OF our readiness for the frav. 81 TO-
day we have done one of the most 1900,
'hlhgS which stands to our credit sinco 49,
war pegah-we are scrapping all notions If
having thoroughly perfect armv hofoo ~
se,,ihg into action and are sendino nv
solalers' without delay, to the front 7,,hor
oNul 'hey can shoot an enemy
ne herman people, if they are evor ocro;r
10 NC ne companions for decent mon n,ust
leafh humility. the drunkenness which oo,,sas
IRON reaiizlng the guilt of having broken
:nora' ia"s, human and divine, and Of br;na'
ing parnarism and blood guilt back r. thi,
e"ltn. americans need to learn bu,,;l;4.
a"o'''e' sort II we wish to profit bv ora ~
."e most important lessons this war IT, -
.each US, humility which snrnos f.o.. ' 49,, ~
:. that other nations are fellow in.
nao'tants of this sphere of ours. and th 49,
'nere may be some few things wb;ch th .as
can 90 better than we. '~" lucy
Nov, WI GUSTAV Kissing.
ne" York, April 4, 1918.
Oar1c;apc n.