The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-19
GREAT PROBLEM IN PLACING THE
AERIAL SERVICE IN PEACE BASIS

WASHINGTDN. Nov. lS.--prm"hlll%a-
ton Of ,h. army air service presents
s:nar;,,c rrohl,.u on which war depart
ment officials uhw are at work no"
II is t. be accomplished :" that the air
..rnf, manufacturing industry. now
government monopoly. can be preserved
WAS not disclosed. hut II is possible 10
state authurI!a:lNcly SOME OF the con-
siderauuns that Will govern dcin"bilza-
ton plans.
Secretary Baker IS known To regard
the air service as ilfc field OF mililHT!
enterprise in which the greatest o"-
rcluIincntS arc to be- expected. F"r
that reason the army rroEra'n t" u" ''ld
before congress probably Will SHOW reg
omtncndat!on for continuation Of inc
aviation branches on 4 scale diSpropor-
tomato 20 the other arms Of the service
Efforts arc expected to be madc "a lin-
prove existing types OF planes and en-
rlnes or develop new ones.
It is also certain that tho plans no"
being formulated will make PROVISION
for retaining in the permanent ml4ltar!
establishment officers and men WI"
have displayed marked ability III IN" "p-
Grafton. production and equipment W.
airplancS. balloons and otirsr Nrc'i't-
The monopoly Of the government "N-
tends TO every branch "f aircraft pro-
durtion. To mako q start on IN" cN-
lraurdInary program laid out. II "aH
necessary to build from IN" GROUND n.y.
to create virtually every faculty Fequ''
ed. oven to the growing Of castor peih"
to furnish the luhrcatinE oil rcqulr'H'
The only exceptions arc Rho autoiI!"p't'
factories. which were turned from p"hu-
Ing engines for motor cars To the pro-
duction Of Liberty motors and other ar
craft engines.
For these plants tho turning back 70
pcacr industry is natural. and many
have complete plans for after the war
conditions on which they arc At WORK.
There EXITS, however. no market eN-
ccpt the government for aircraft 'hA'
can possibly engage any part or Inc
other plants now devoted wholly 10 thaI
production. and the future OF these
plants is not as yet clear.
Outstanding contracts Tor miiis'liy
planes Of various types are understood
~ total between IS, 900 and 10000. 1t
is regarded rs likely tina; virtually al
of these will be cancelled Many W inc
orders have already been slowed down
if not definitely withdrawn.
1t was said today that there is no
need TO equip heavily with any OF IN"
new types now in production Tor H'lt-
;ary use. as improved machines OF Erc'l'-
er speed endurance and ma1"uFsrinE
power were developed oven while every
energy was being strained 10 r''H,n
Quantity production here Of tha DC
IIavilnhds and Handlry-PaEc designs. II
is To the new types, that chief attcn-
ton will be given by the government.
as the existing supply Of tho present
type is ample for reserve.
In addition to the MANUFACTURING mo-
nopolv, which includes the assembling
Of scientific data Of the utmost value On
the whole question Of air flight, In"
government has complete monopoly over
the training facilities for tlicrs. II
owns some thirty-two flying fields IN
III. United States. all fully equipped
and has built up preliminary courses IN
colleges and universities in oil parts
Of the country. The home AVIATION
schools arc now fitted 10 turn out -'e""
men n month rated as reserve m!htary
aviators, while there now are In tn'S
country more than - 900 men who eith-
or have passed through that ScnooI SHS-
TEN or are nearing completion or th''i
training There also are tens or tn'u-
sands of airplane mechanics ana ".V""
ayiators in France. at least onc-half OF
whom arc fully qualified military pilots.
In the opinion Of many officials. the
future Of air navigation in the lni'"N
States rests largely with these mcn'
trained to fly by the government. ffaF-
inr had a taste OF air work. it Is nc
lieved that the majority or these mon
always will ycarn 10 continue Tying.
and through them great stimulus Will
be given to the development OF the air
craft industry by private enterprises
For tho time being. however. the army
and navy services, supplemented by inc
aerial postal service. will be- the onlF
outlet for the product Of such m indus
try. and to insure thes" GoH"rn'nel..
nscds IL is thought It will b. necessary
for tho army to follow tho navy practice
and take over some Of tho great plants
where machines for both the army ana
tho postal service can he turned out
until n normal manufacturing industry
boc bccn developed.