The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-26
AVIATION ISSUE
IS BIG PROBLEM
BEFORE CONGRESS
Authority Over All Aircraft
Is To Be Consolidated for
Purpose of Securing High
State of Efficiency.
BY CHARLES S. HAYDEN
stan Correspondent.


WASHINGTON. Aug. rs. CspI,-o,o
OF the big fights now brewing ana
winch doubtless viii be preeipltated IN
me debates over the new army hin IN.
spIVes the question as TO the slzo and
TfAtHeter Of the air service which ~
gm,tod states Is TO maintain. The direct
servIc. IN mhether development OF this
a~ntahority OF the army. navy and nnn III
otince departments, as al prescnt ~
.omsolluh ted into the departueni ~
aetqnautlcs under the direction ~
cabinet officer. N'~-''" ol :"
me proposal for such Il consolidation
as suggested is not entirely new NAVAL
oeeh under consideration J,ripg ,hh5
q ana a bill so providing only failed
~ pasSake NJ the last session ~ rnason
y we Republican flibuster Tho war
Sslt,nehl Was opposed to II then. and
NOT 9o UT Baker stu is. but this viii
sress, with Republicans In con4roi
The fact that England fonnd n mar
s1 y W establish n consolidation of lis
M, H. sSiNlce IN order to create an effer-
~ tsntlng arm during the war. and
bo+ Steat stIldes made in aviation by
InhL nation since then is the strong ar,
Bument used by advocates Of IN nro
posai Ihey insist that with divided a1-
tnotlty over the matters OF lion
Inere WIN be less real progress and IN
Lonseqiiehce thereof, this COUNTRY will
Iag behind In a%eronautics. " WI"
Department Divided.
Even the war department is not a nnit
~ us opposition Benedict CroUeIi
IIst assistant secretary of war and
N {. Coffin. member of the coun-
: az national defense, constituting the
SAInerlcan aviation mission Ia I,tirone
nave submitted recommendation hal"d
~ inquiries abroad and urge the con-
solldatlon. These recommendat ions
constituting a lengthy report. have re-.
vehlly been issued under authority 81
.ne war department, but with an accom-
Secretary Baker. ' W
ne report Is divided into several sec.
IONS mat dealing with military actiyi-
ties being especially exhaustive. The
suggested organization calls for The
creation OF a national air service with
q civilian. coordinate in power and
standing with a cabinet officer. 10 hesd
~ Under him would be an assistant
secretary, also n civilian, who would
serve hs general administrator OF tho
department. Then there would be five
or more divisional heads. those sug.
sested being designated. civil a~eronaut-
W. military .ae~ronautics, naval aero
h%autics, supply and research and fin
AnCe. ~" 80"
Aviation Is Factor.
One Of the outstanding features Of
the report was the unanimous opinion
encountered In Europe among an classes
mat aviation would be the deciding fac
Vol IN the next war, should there be one
without giving his name, the investi-
gators quote one OF the greatest mill
tary authorities" as saving the first
battle OF the next war would be In Inc
air and would very nearly decide which
side would win. He pointed out that the
nation gaining control or dominance or
the air, even for a limited period after
war had been declared, would be able
TO strike effectively at supply and pro
duction c%enters, thereby gripping the
enemy at once.
The recommendations call for the es-
tablishment OF flying fields at various
strategic locations throughout the coun-
Try, suitable both for military and civ
man purposes, and tho announcement
OF states and municipalities to Join with
The national government in encouraging
tho development of aviation. II Is urged
that flying routes should be mapped
out and equipped at national Expense
with signaling and communication sys-
TENS and that the training OF aviators
either should be at government expense
or under government supervision.
|
To purify and Enrich the Blood
Ufn "a IL NJ N A knNTNT INCu ENIxtI