The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-02
DEVELOPMENTS OF
AIRCRAFT IN WAR

American aviation mission at the time
or its visit to Europe is contained in
| a communication from Clemenceau,
premier of France. For C1emenceau.
who speaks as president of the council
| of the air ministray, reports to President
Poincare that aircraft was very greatly
developed while the European war was
| in progress. For that reason he is of
| the opinion that the industry should
adapt itself to the important part it can
| play in times of peace He therefore
recommends that there be coordination
of all efforts and the unification of gen
| eral service whereby better work and
| adequate development of aviation in
France can be secured.
The American aviation mission of which
| Benedict Crowell, assistant secretary Of
war, together with Howard E. Coffin,
| who was member of the council of ma
| tonal defense, and several expert in air
craft construction and operation, has re-
| turned to the United States and was able
| to make a most important report to the
| Secretary of War in mid July Of this
| year.
! The report undoubtedly was written by
| Mr.. Crowell but with the unanimous APP
prevail of those who were associated
with him. 1t is regarded as of special
! Importance on account of the change in
aircraft service which is leading to the
very high commercial development of air
! craft which has taken place since the
| European war ended Brief extracts from
Secretary Crowell's report have been
published. But these do not give thor
ough understanding of the relation which
aircraft would bear to the commercial
and industrial development in the United
States. For instance. Mr. Crowell as
| serts that it is the universal opinion of
| those whose opinion Is worth needing
| that immediate action is necessary If the
\ interests of the United States are to be
safeguarded and if there is to be pre-
served for the government some benefits
from the enormous aviation expenditures
which were made during the period of
the war. In fact, he asserts some action
must be taken to prevent a vital and
necessary industry from entirely disap-
pearing. -
| 1t was not known by lie public until
Secretary Crowell made his report that
| 80 per cent of the aircraft industry
which was created by the war has been
lquidated. There seems, however. to be
no real danger of the destruction of this
| industry The aircraft manufacturers
| Of the United States are reported now to
| be operating to their capacity and the
demand for the air machines represents
commercial purposes rather than the
use of them for pleasure. Upon the
books of one of the largest manufac-
turers of aircraft are orders for a
| greater number of the machines than
can be built within the time requested.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
| Nevertheless it is regarded by the mem
bers of the American aviation mission
who visited France, Italy and England,
and who were in conference with various
ministers of those governments, as well
as army and navy commanders and the
! loading aircraft managers, that it is
essential that there be concentration of
| the air activities of the United States,
naval. military and civilian. These ac-
| tivities are to be within the direction of
a single agency created for the purpose,
)co-eqdal in Importance with the de-
partments of war, navy and commerce.
| to be called the national air service
NEWCABINET DEPARTMENT
| This recommendation is interpreted
here as strongly advising the creation
| of a new cabinet department. 1t ap-
pears to be the view of Clemenceau that
i France should create new department
which will have authority over aircraft
construction and operation So also the
mission discovered that like opinion
was held in Italy.
| England about two years ago began
the ordination of her aircraft facili-
! ties. The result has been very satisfac-
| tory. To it is undoubtedly due the es-
| adjustment of a daily passenger SER
| vice by air between London and Paris,
service somewhat similar in the saving
| of time to the one which has been gained
by the establishment of fast trains be-
| tween Chicago and New York. For this
| fast train service makes it possible to
F, leave either Chicago or New York at an
hour near the close of the business day..
and then after two or three hours in
either city the next day return to the
other city: that is to say business day
| is not lost.
| In England the mission found that the
coordination of her aircraft activities
has placed that nation far in the lead
in practically every phase of aerial de-
velopment There a ministry of air
has been established which is o-equal
with the ministers of war and the navy.
OF course what is in the minds of the
members of the American aviation mis-
sion is the high development of aircraft
for commercial purposes The mission
is evidently convinced that the day is
not distant when the air will be utilized
relatively to as great degree as are the
rivers and the railroad tracks for trans
portation purposes, although. of course,
of somewhat different character Italy,
France and England now fully realize
the Importance of aircraft in the mill
tary, naval and commercial aspects, ana
they propose to encourage the general
development of the industry through gov
ornamental aid
DOMINATION OF THE AIR
In Great Britain the leading authori-
ties now admit that they regard domi-
nance in the air as at least of equal i'm
portance with that of the sea, and they
are now planning definite policy of
aerial development which, If perfected
and maintained, may give to England
dominance in the air equal to that pos
sessed by her when the war began upon
the sea.
Everywhere the rapid adoption of air
craft to the commercial uses of peace is
being studied and planned. Mr.. Crowell
in his report asserts that under the
forced draft of the war this latest and
fastest agency of transportation has
been brought to a high state of develop
ment, but it now must be redesigned
so as to meet the progressive demands of
a civilization at peace. AS whole the
report seems to be inspired with enthus-
iasm so far as the future of aircraft in
struction and operation is concerned, and
for that reason the mission recommends
that certain action be taken especially
the creation of the new cabinet depart .,
nent. which will have full responsibility |
for placing and maintaining our country