Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-04

destructive engines of war yet used.
The whole world sat up and took no.
tice recently when a commercial chem
ical plant in a little German town blew
up. Some explosive 80 powerful that
INT Is mild by comparison not only
wrecked the plant completely. but de-
stroyed practically the whole town ana
its population. 1t Is dot unreasonable
to suppose that the other. nations OF
the world are at least trying to keep
pace in the development of destructive
chemicals, SO that they will not be
caught mapping II war should come
again.
Aircraft forms another fighting arm
which can be developed In peace times
in apparently unwarliKe ways. In tnis'
tho, America is tagging behind Euro
pean nations. notably France and Ger
many not long ago a flood of adver-
tising came out OF Germany. snow
ing pretentious plan for ar
routes OF travel from Germany 70
points all over the continent of Europe
and even across the Afeditcrranean to
Africa. The French quickly saw In
this a threat OF their own safety. and
race for. supremacy OF the air was
/, begun.
Today In Europe travelling by mir Is
a common thing. American railroad
men who have looked into 1t find the
United States tagging far behind in this
development of transportation. For
transportation Is the aspect this aerial
development wears in peace times.
AIRCRAFT HARD TO LIMIT
France saw In the German plans for
extensively developed aerial routes OF
transportation the means of ecouom-
icalfy preparing for another war. and
Immediately set out to pass Its ancient
enemy in this respect. Aviators by
the hundreds could pc trained and
ready for possible war use thru peace
fyy1a FlN,tnH haa fhA nQYtiCrlqr
peal to the French nation that this
sort OF war preparation would cost little
or nothing, as the commercial flying
experiment-and II Is about past the
experimental stage now--could be made
almost. II not entirely, to pay for It.
self.
To make certain that this develop
ment would not lag. the governments
OF Germany and France are literally
subsidizing the companies formed for
aerial transportation. The flyers em-
ployed could be quickly made into mill
Of the planes In use for commercial
purposes might prove useless. but
planes can be turned out at a tremend-
ously greater rate enan can trained
men to operate them.
Enrland is tagging behind France
and Germany in this DEVELOPMENT. The
threat OF future trouose with Germany
is not as acute with England AS with
France. The British honestly hope to
be able to keep out Of any future fight
However. flying in England II not be-
ing forgotten completely. and tho be-
hind its late ally and Its late enemy
in this respect. Is far ahead Of the
United States.
Tho American Air Service. In both
It's military and naval branches, has
not been done away with. but in COM
parison with Its one-ume strength. Us
hardly more than a skeleton. True.
there are hundreds OF former flyers
now returned to civil life who could
be called into action IL necessary. But
when this generation Of experienced
flyers is gone, or too old to measure
up to tho strict physician requirements
of the air service. America would have
to pray for delays while trying TO
train a new set Of flyers.
Tho nucleus OF the army and navy
flying attack remains, OF course. These
men are continually flying and seeking
to develop aeronautics OF military
character. However. the services arc
not large In their personnel. The only
other governmental move toward train
ing flyers n in the maintenance OF the
aerial mail service of tho post office
department. And OF these flyers. the
only governmental service outside OF
the army and navy. thcre arc today
but As actual flyers.