The Washington times., 1920-06-09
The sA!es4AeALr The WASHINGTON TIMES .!ysE
An American Ace Points Out
Our Serious Aviation FOllies

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In recent tslsgrams Japan and Germany ths Ams
public learns something about what those two countries
doing in the promotion Of aviation while this country
stands still and looks
- The Oriental nation is spending $50 100000 aviation
equipment and covering the whole world with delegations
Of expe who studying new methods Of construction
! and manipulation.
In Germany no enterprise is being pushed with such
fsversh vgor the building Of ashps and the improve
Of models There has been minute Of relaxation
since the closed And Germany then ahead OF
every other nation in the development Of fighting aircraft she
may reasonably be expected to have increased her lead BY
her peace activities and ambitions
Hero in America where the development Of aerial nav
CATION begun, not only at stands In perfect
ing the machines themselves but making total and
wanton failure Of avaling ourselves Of the information
gained by who during the gained useful knowledge
in the school Of actual experience
Jacques NJ schwab has written letter to the Hearst
newspapers which ought be of interest to members Of
Congress- and printing portion Of 1t in the hope
that it will have the effect Mr. Schwab intended.
word or two about Mr. schwab will interest you and
lend an additional value to what he writes.
he officially credited with bringing down ten enemy
planes during the seventeen months Of his service the
other de where he connected with the pursuit group Of
the First American Army
He twice wounded but went back into action after
each recovery.
During the st. Mhiel drive he shot down three German
planes in sixty minutes and added the final victory to his
spectacular battle at altitude of 10000 feet
He was twice cited for bravery and ranks among the
great aerial fighters Of the war.
He writes as follows:
''Every who has had any connection with avia-
ton and the air service and all those who have made
study of conditions realize that the air service not
in any way understood by the army in general.
''In looking the records in the war it is quite
evident that able officer who had served in the in
antry cavalry artillery, who thoroughly capable
in his of the service, when transferred to the
air found himself absolutely incompetent in handling
pilots observers and the air service personnel unless
he himself pilot or observer
"Offcers of the Army General Staff entirely igno-
rant of service necessities have given advice to the
military committees of Congress- Such advice is being
followed in the drafting of the present laws for the
ganization of the army.
"Whether those laws are suitable for the other
Of the army do not know but they will practically
destroy aviation under the preense of increasing eff
cheney
"Ono of the most foolish rules proposed is that
officers he detailed the air service from other branches
of the army below the grade of major, and that the
higher ranks be filed by permanent personnel prob
ably selected by the General Staff from the offering of
the other branches
'Good aviators created by nature, training and
practice Previous military rank has no bearing the
selection of officers for aviation Instinct and
aptitude are the first essentials then knowledge and
experience Of flying
eff you were going to start public school, you
certainly would not select piano tuner to teach your
children arithmetic and if America is to have air
service of the greatest efficiency do not want
quartermaster judge advocate or ordnance officer to