Great Falls tribune., 1921-12-06
The HQskir1 Letter . n;ssss.aS asssz
THE DISARMAMENT ILLUSION

only wrecked the plant completely, but
destroyed practically the whole town
and its population. 1t is not unreason-
able to suppose that the other nations
of the world are at least trying TO
keep pace In the development of de-
structive chemicals, SO taht they will
not be caught mapping if war should
come again.
Aircraft forms another fighting arm
which can be developed in peace times
in apparently unwarlike ways. In this,
though, America is tagging behind
European nations, notably France and
Germany. Not long ago, flood of
advertising came out of Germany,
showing pretentious plan for air
routes of travel from Germany to
points all over the continent of Europe
and even across the Mediterranean to
Africa. The French quickly saw in
tnis threat to their own safety, and
race for supremacy Of the air was
begun.
To-day il Europe travelling by air is
a common thing. American railroad
men who have looked into it 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 econom-
ically preparing for another war, and
Immediately set out to pass its ancient
enemy in this respect. Aviators by the
hundreds could be trained and ready
for possible war use through peace
time flying. It has the particular ap-
peal to the French nation that this
sort OF war preparation would cost
little or nothing, as the commercial
flying experiment-and it is about
past the experimental stage now
could be made almost, II not entirely,
to pay for itself.
To make sure that this develop
ment would not lag the governments
OF Germany and France are literally
the companies formed for
aerial transportation. The flyers en-
ployed could be quickly made into mil
itary fliers If war should come. Many
IF the planes in use for commercial pur-
poses might prove useless, but planes
can be turned out at a tremendously
greater rate than can trained men to
operate them.
I6iaAO Is laSSlAS DeuluO ThuCG dUu
Germany in this development. The
threat of future trouble with Germany
IS not as acute with England as with
France. The British honestly hope to
1e able to keep out of any future fight.
However, flying in England is not being
forgotten completely, and though be-
lind its late ally and its late enemy in
his respect, is far ahead Of the United
States.
The American air service, in both its
military and naval branches, has not
,een done away with, but In comparison
With its one time strength, is hardly
more than skeleton. True, there are
hundreds of former flyers now returned
% civil life who could be called into ac-
ion if necessary. But when this gen.
'ration Of experienced flyers is gone.
'r too old to measure up to the strict |
physical requirements of the air service, |
America would have to pray for delays |
while trying to train a new set of fly |
.rs.
The nucleus of the army and navy fly |
ng attack remains, of course. These |
men are continually flying and seeking |
o develop aeronautics Of a military |
'haracter. However, the services are |
lot large in their personnel. The only |
't1er governm entail move toward train |
ng flyers is in the maintenance Of the |
erlal mail service of the postoffica de- |
'artment. And of these flyers, the only
governmental service outside Of the |
rmy and navy, there are today but As |
ctual flyers