Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-21
CLIP u. S. AIR
FORCE FUND;
GRIPPLES 1T
Aerial Service Going to
Pieces, Can Offer No
Defense to Nation.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright 1919, The Argus).
Washington, July 21.-America's s
air service is literally going to
pieces. Plans for the defense of
the United States and it's possess
sions by air are being abandoned
because there are not enough
pilots and experienced flyers to
handle service squadrons. Defense
of Nbe Mexican border which has
been in progress for the last fort
night and is half complete, cannot
go forward AirpIane companies
are going out of business and
Japan is asking the United States
to sell her large quantities of Lib
erty motors manufactured for use
in France but not used.
These facts may startle the aver
age reader-such things, he will
say. cannot be going on in Wash
ington after all the huIabaloo
raised about aircraft during the
war. Yet these statements can be
verified at the air service of the
United States army today.
VIII Be Brought Out Too Late.
They probably will come out
some day in the course of con-
gressional inquiries after the
damage is done-but as usual when
one branch Of the government is
Democratic and another is Repub-
lican, the interest of the public
gets a severe jolt. Congress, dom
mated by the Republicans, has cut
down the size of the army and the
money available for its use. The
war department, managed b. the
Democrats, is quietly following out
the program set by congressional
appropriations and neither Presi-
dent Wilson nor Secretary Baker
is raising a voice in protest.
Neither side is accepting respon-
sibility for what is happening but
the big fact is that the air service
on which the American people have
bgleh relying for coast defense and
patrol, is shortly to be
brought to the same status which
it had before the European war
began in 1914.
Congress Cuts Funds.
Congress started the ball rolling
by cutting down appropriations
for the army. The war department
finding itself without funds to
keep commissioned officers has now
ordered that before Sept. 80 next,
all officers holding temporary COM
missions be discharged and that
the peace-time army be command
ed only by officers in the regular
army. Unfortunately the air ser
vice was one of the smallest
branches of the army before the
war 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 happens
that out of that $50, only about
one-fourth actually have had fly
ing experience. The great bulk of
Americas great flying corps of
thousands of pilots came from civil
Ia receiving temporary commits |
siofs.
The permanent officers however !
will be responsible for the aerial |
defense of the United States and |
outlying possessions. 1t is estimat-
eh that there would be officers
enough for three squadrons if the |
whole number could be assigned TO |
this duty.
Must Abandon Defense Plans.
So the air service must practical |
" abandon its defenses in Hawaii |
and the Philippines and must fore /
go its plans for the defense of the |
Mexican border. 1t had been plan |
ned after the recent hearings be i
fore congress that seven service
be modified for duty on |
the Mexican border. Brigadier Cen
eral VILLAIN E Mitchell, who COM
the American air forces on
the western front made a hurried
trip through Texas and mapped out !
a system of defensive operations.
Seven sduadrons were to be equip !
ped and nine airdromes built at
convenient stations between Yuma
and Brownsville stretching across
the entire length Of the information
al line. Four of these airdromes
were to be used for patrol work and
three for bombardment purposes.
About ITO airplanes were to be used.
including about 100 bombing ma
cAiees.
Service Falling to Pieces.
This work had been half complet-
ed when the war departments order
was issued. Now it is doubtful
whether there are enough officers
available to man a single squadron. II
it will be remembered,
The war. department informed con-
gress that a total of Sc squadrons
Dr. $500 officers and $4,000 men
we're needed for the protection of
he TT1ffed Cfafae in the fair ONLY
one-half of that number of enlisted
CONTINUED On Page seven.) q