The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-21
AIR SERVICE Of
AMERICA GOING
TO SMASH BADLY
Plans for Defense Of U. S. and
Possessions Being Aban-
dohed and Plane ManufaC-
turerS Quitting Business.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
CaEaaINa

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
Scimltar.)
WASHINGTON. July 2i.-America's
service is literally going TO pieces.
Plans for the defense OF the United
States and its possessions by air are
being abandoned because there are not
enough pilots n experienced flyers
TO handle service ~squadrons. Defense
OF the Mexican border, which has been
in progress for the last fortnight and
is half complete, car not go forward.
Airplane companies are going out OF
business, and Japan Is asking the Unit
ed States TO sell her large quantities-of
Liberty motors manufactured for use
In France but not used.
These facts may startle the average
reader-such things, he will say, can
not be going on In Washington after
all the hulabaloo raised about aircraft
during the war. Yet these statements
can be verified at the air service Of
the United States army today. They
probably will come out some day in
the course of congressional inquiries
after the damage Is done--but, as usual,
when one branch of the government Is
Democratic n another Is Republican,
the interest Of the public gets a severe
jolt.
Congress, dominated by the Republic
cans, has cut down the size Of the army
and the money available for its use.
The war department, managed by the
Democrats, is quietly following out the
program set by congressional a%ppropri-
atoms, and neither President Wilson
nor Secretary Baker is raising a voice
in protest, Neither side Is accepting
responsibility for what Is happening,
but the big fact is that the air service,
on which the American people have
been relying for coast defense and bor-
der partol, Is shortly to be brought al
most to the same status which II had
before the European war began in 1914,
Solons Cut Funds.
Congress started the ball rolling by
cutting down appropriations for the
army. The war department, finding it.
self without funds to keep commissioner
officers, has now ordered that before
Sept. 30 all officers holding temporary
commissions be discharged n that the
peace-time army be commanded only
by officers in the regular army.
Unfortunately the air service was one
Of the smallest branches of the army
before the wal and the order hits the
aerial establishment harder than any
other.
Under the new requirements only $50
officers are allotted to the air service.
These must be regular army men. 1t so
HhppcHb llHl OUT Oh tIltN GOV guy abOut
one-fourth actually have had flying ex-
p%erienCo. The great bulk of Americas
great flying corps of thousands OF pilots
came from civil life, receiving Temporal
ry commissions
The permanent officers, however, will
be responsible for the aerial defense
of the United States and outlying pos
sessions, It Is estimated that there
would be officers enough only for three
squadrons II the whole number could
be assigned to this duty.
So the air service must practically
abandon its d%efenses In Hawaii and
the Philippines and must forego Its
plans for the defense OF the Mexican
border. 1t had beer planned after the
recent hearings before congress that
seven service squardons be mobilized
for duty On the Mexican border,
Brig. Gen.. William E. g Mitchell, who
commanded the American air forces on
the western front, made a hurried trip
through Texas and mapped out a sys-
TEN Of defensive operations, Seven
Squadrons were to be equipped m
nine airdromes built at convenient sta
tons between Yuma and Brownsville,
stretching across the entire length of
the International line. -Four Of these
aidromes were to be used for patrol
work and three for bombardment pur-
poses, About 170 airplanes were to be
uSeu, 'hcluuihe ABOUT iVV poiilplhs MA
chimes,
This work had been half completed
when the war departments order was
issued. Now II is doubtful whether
there are enough officers available to
man a single squadron, Originally, II
will be remembered, the war depart
ment informed congress that a total OF
IS s%quardons, or $500 officers and 20, 200
men, were needed for the protection OF
the United States In the air, only one
half OF that number of enlisted men
are now available, but they are useless
without officers-experienced pilots.
For Separate Unit.
What is the solution? Some members
OF congress, like Senator Harry New
Of, Indiana. Republican, think 1t mus
lie In an independent air service. 9th.
erwise, II kept together with the army
and navy, ~aeronautics will suffer tn,
usual neglect which befalls auxiliary
branches OF the army and navy, 1t IL
urged also that separate committees OF
~aeronautlcs be created In the senat,
and house of representatives,
Not only are there military nccessi
ties involved In concentrating all tn,
aircraft under a single department o
the government, but the whole question
Of safeguarding the lives OF ~civiliant
from the flights of inexperienced pilot
" WNulNPu. pllllllAIlNt tnt OUlle'
States must cooperate with foreigl
governments In setting W landing
fields tor International flights.
Again. 4 separate air service woul
take charge Of aerial development over
seas. England is today planning n mai
service north and south through tn
continent Of Africa from Cairo to Cape
town, nirigibles already have crosse,
the Atlantic, Army aviators tell me
Is feasible TO establish mail communi
cation by air between North and Sout
America and across the Pacific to Ha
!, wait, Guam, the philippines, Japan an
China.
| Many projects FOR "transconlnent,
, flying are before the air service, Ma
service between New York and Sa
/ Francisco by air is predicted within
short time. Civilian and militar
phases Of aeronautics were just be
r ginning to become an absorbing stud
for the daring aviators returned frol
overseas. BY a single war departmer
, order and by a single cut in a~ppropria
tions by congress, all these ambitiou
projects are suddenly dashed to piece
and the air service itself reduced to
, mere fragment. More thar 5000 plane
st,ooo meters and 1000 balloons OF a
types must be cared for. The wor
has hitherto been done by
= officers. Some Of tho 200 permaner
o officers must now be assigned to tn;
duty. Experienced flyers go back
" civil life-they will soon lose knack
flying. Funds are not available to r.
= cruit n train new pilots.
Thus does the controversy hctwe,
the executive ard legislative branch,
of the government-each with oppos
political desires to satisfy-involve
most serious fashion the public intere
aud defense of the United States.
1 aINDVANHrAuht 1n1N hxF 1lA N-- a.-y-