The Washington times., 1918-05-27


more than 100 lighting planes, and we
should have about fifty OF sixty fields
close up to the front.
Ground Must BE Right.
The ground must be OF exactly the
right kind, for unless the aviator can
make a good landing he is likely to
meet with an accident on rough
ground. and both the machine and the
aviator can be put out Of business that
way Just as effectively as by an en-
emy fighter.
Not only must the ground be smooth
and well drained but besides the han
gars there must be machine ana tooi
shops for repairs. We need seNeEai
thousand mechanics and several thou-
sand men to build enough aviation
fields so that our fighters can ascend
quickly from point Of vantage imme-
diateIy behind the front. America mas
laid out some fields a considerable dis
tance back Of the trenches for bomb
ing work, as the heavier planes must
gain their altitude before they cross
into German territory, and they can
get II Just as well from these rear
fields as anywhere else.
But the combat planes must ascend
virtually from the lighting line, ana
America should arrange for enough
fieIds, at least. to care for the coming
production OF battle planes.
In a pinch, our fighters could as
cend out OF the British OF French
fields and could board in their han
ears, but our allies need all their
space, and the United states ought
10 be able to transport men and ma
chinery enough to clear tactlcal
ground back OF the line for aviation
purposes, and to erect repair shops
so that combat planes can be IKE
up without having TO be sent long
distance back and kept out OF COM
mission several days longer than is
necessary.
Kept Back BY Censor.
Such facts as the absence Of svia-
tion fields would have come to the
American people last Christmas and
might have been built by now If
the censorship abroad had not pre-
vented. Great Britain is near enough
to France so that frequent visits Of
correspondents make possible reve-
lation of the needs of the army.
America 80 5000 miles away, and II
IL is the judgment Of a censor that
facts concerning the neglect OF aVia-
ton grounds be suppressed, the
American people are never likely TO
know about IL until the emergency
arises that sharply calls attention TO
the omission.
Preventive measures can always
be taken II the people know about
them in advance because public opin-
ion applies its own corrective.
The same Is true OF the censorship
At home. We might have sped
production II we had been permitted
TO know iust what the various fac
tories which had been given contracts
were doing about planes. Instead OF
suppressing production figures. they
should be given out from week to
week and contests In rapid. PTodue-
ton begun just as Messrs. Hurley
and Schwab are doing about ships.
Need Another Schwab.
What the aircraft program needs
Is a man Of magnetism and dynamic
force like Schwab to go around
among plants and workers and
stimulate production. What the air
craft program also needs right away
is some new designs for machines 70
be built Immediately after the present
orders are filled.
As il Is. the reorganization and
Congressional exposures have so up
set matters that large gaps in pro
duction cannot be prevented. After
getting the designs-assuming that
they were ready today-it would take
thirty 10 sixty days TO build models
and At the latter to the. drawings.
Quantity production can be begun
only after the first plane is finished.
So the public must be prepared for
further delays in October and Novem-
her and possibly earlier when present
orders will have been finished and the
engineers and designers will be busy
while the workmen Will be idle.
OF course. all the factories will have
training planes to build because
while we have a surplus, the loss due
to inexperienced flyers and iustruC-
tion uses is large. But II we are TO
have e trained force OF workmen able
10 turn out hghting craft in great
quantities. we must helP the fac
tories hold their men by being prompt
with new designs and orders
Want Assurance.
Everywhere that ] went last week
IN my visit TO the different airplane
factories that fact seemed to project
itself forward as I examined the
schedules and rate Of production. Pri-
vHte companies will not enlarge their
plants and take blE risks unless the
Government assures them of steady
use for their new plants And if we
are 10 build UP an aeroplane industry
we must be prepared TO spend large
sums OF money and to scrap many
types OF planes.
Even Liberty motor production viii
be ready by the end of October with
present orders. and n the big factories
that are making those motors and
nothing else are 70 be kept going.
they should be given an explicit un
d. rstanding Of the requirements of
the Government after the present or
ders viii have been filled.
Time still Slipping Away.
IN our solicitude over mistakes and
delays OF the past We should not for
get that within the last few weeks OF
controversy time has been slipping by
Just the same and many important
things are still undone. PL lcity will
help US TO hasten production.
Publicity about what Is happening
abroad in aviation is even more IS
Gential or we shall awake some day
and find that after America invcsti-
gated itself and found the remedy.
{he authorities. on the other side were
not ready TO receive the American