The Washington times., 1919-02-25
FAVOR SEPARATE ..
DEPT. OF AVIATION

Enthusiastic advocates OF the do
velopment of aviation in this country.
not alone the aviators OF the army.
put civilians, are steadily promoting
the movement for a separate depart
ment OF aviation. or. il not a depart
ment' separate agency of aviation
in charge of a director or a board.
Just as in the case Of many other
important propositions which are be.
ing talked of about the Capitol and
before Congress, there is not expected
To be any action looking to a separate
| department of aviation this session.
But there is reason to believe that Il
republican Congress, probably in the
expected extra session. will give the
matter serious consideration.
/ Within the aircraft service of he
/ Government there are many strong
opponents OF the idea OF a separate
department Of aviation. While they
would prefer a department with
cabinet head, they would be satisfied
! with another agency whose chief func:
| uonary would be a director or which
would be headed, as is the shipping
oTganization, by the Shipping Board,
! Under this proposed arrangement, the
! development Of new ideas in aircraft,
| the making or planes, the training Of
| aVlatoTs, and so on, would all be un-
! der the separate department or but
reau. The army, the navy. the marine
! corps, and probably the Postoffice De-
partment all would obtain their pianos
on requisition from the department
or bureau of the air.
Often Proposed.
This general plan has been many
times proposed. but practically It has
! never got into legislation because
the War Department would not sane
tion it, nor would the Navy Depart |
ment. The Administration could |
never be brought to get behind It and |
urge it. Former Congressman Muir
ray Hubert of New York was one of
the pioneers in advocating il in Con- |
Gress. and recently when in Wash
ington he predicted that the plan !
would eventually be carried into
execution.
a prominent army officer in the
aviation service said recently that II
the department of the air or a dis
tinct bureau Of the air were created
II would give a tremendous encour-
agement TO aviation and aeronautical
development in this country. He said
II was in the interest of economy and
efficiency, and that unless a wise
policy were adopted. the country
would soon see scattered to the winds
and lost much OF the valuable IN
formation and training which the
war forced on the United States in
aviation.
Much Duplication.
This officer called attention to the
fact that with the army looking after
its own aircraft affairs and the navy
doing likewise, there was a great
amount Of ineXcusabIe duplication |
and much unnecessary expense.
Under the system of a distinct
department or bureau of aviation,
the overhead would be less
and all the energies of the Govern
ment so far as concerns the conquest
of the air would be concentered in
this one department or bureau. He
held this would count for much in
the development of the art OF flying
and the perfection OF aircraft.
or course, one OF the obstacles in
the way Of such a department or bu.
Feau is tn eblUndering in handling the
administration Of aircraft through
the war, This has left a bad taste in
the mouth Of large share Of Con-
gress. On the other hand. it is un-
doUbtedly true that when the war
ended the United States had, despite
past stupidity and mistakes, reached
point where il developed at least |
four good types OF machines, had
trained many aviators. and was ready !
to make a record.
That England is setting out in the
direction OF wonderful development
in aviation and means to dominate the
air is the feeling among army officers
and aircraft enthusiasts here. This
! looked on as a reason why the
United States ought TO be alive to the
development OF all the possibilities OF
aerOnautiCs.
Public EnthuslaStic.
One army officer, an aviator, who /,
has lately been in Columbus. Ohio. .
said the reception given Eddie Rick
eubacker outstTipped in enthusiasm '
anything he had seen for years, and Y
he gave 1t as evidence of the publi: '
interest in the development Of avia- r
tion. \ mass meeting there adopted r
a resolution in favor Uf I
cities providing aerodromes free for n
use of the Government planes. these a
t. be usable also by commercial 9
planes. 1t is argued that II the Gov l.
establishes a separate deparT- o
ment or bureau and crowds develop I
mcnt along il will be only a little n
while until there has been great com
mcrcial development or the plane, new 8
and improved types coming out just az n
in the instance OF the automobile in- .