, 1922-08-17


"The principal recommendation made by this
commission, none of which have been adopted. and
which were discredited rather than discouraged.
were the establishment of a department of air,
with a cabinet officer at its head coequal In impor-
lance and in representation with the Departments
OF War, Navy and OF Commerce the establish
ment of governmental institutions of education
and training. including an air academy, all open
alike under proper restriction to military. civilian
and naval personnel. and the adoption Of a sys-
TEN of circulating army. navy and civil personnel
through the national air service.
's not the time at hand to demand that an
efficient, intelligent and definite policy be formu-
lated and carried out?
Those who have studied this matter thoroughly
and fairly are of the opinion that this will be i'm
possible as long as our present policy Of distrib-
utlng our air activities among several govern
mental departments is tolerated, and 1t 1 is neces-
sary that we have "A reorganization Of our national
defense agencies If our future as an air power is
not to be entirely ecllpsed by other nations.
'The Indifference of our government and the
manner in which aviation Is being discouraged and
our aviation personnel demoralized may be appre-
ciated from what has recently been brought to
light in the navy.
"As has been stated in the findings and recon-
mendations Of the aviation commission, heretofore
referred to. any future war Will inevitably open
with great aerial activity on both sides. Lying as
we are between two oceans, our first steps in war
will be over the sea. Early In the war the dlsad-
vantages of having our Army Air Service as part
of the Signal corps were recognized. and 1t was
made a distinct and separate service Of the army.
AS II result our Army Air Service Is more efficient
than Il ever could have been otherwise ms part Of
the army. II We are TO uphold our defense over
the sea we must have an air navy. Our naval avi-
ntion service must be rounded out into u distinct
and separate corps. and then combined with our
Army Air Service and our bureau OF civil aeronau-
tics into Il great. efficient and well-balanced
national air service.
what we need now Is the consolidation of our
War and Navy departments into a single Depart
ment OF National Defense. with a Secretary for
National Defense as It's head aud an undersecre-
tary for army. an undersecretary for navy and an
undersecretary for air. The underdepnrtment for
air should have, in addition TO the undersecretary
for air at its head. three administrative OIL
GERS: an assistant secretary for army mir. an ms.
slstant secretary for naval air and an assistant
secretary for civil air.
"Such an organization would not only foster
greater economy and cooperation between our
present army aud navy. but would create u great,
efficient and well-balnnced national air service.
"Such a service would carry with Il n morale
and n spirit equal to that OF our much-admlred
Marine corps. II would facilitate the establish.
ment OF schools OF strategy and tactics OF the air
and Of welldirected study OF the science of aero.
nautical engineering. II would give the personnel
an opportunity to devote their attention TO the pro.
motion Of the development OF aeronnutics. IL
would retain all experienced avintOrs In the serv-
ice. II would bring our present more or less dis.
organized and dissatisfied navy and army aviation
into a well-orgnnlzed. efficient and valuable unit
OF our armed forces.
The handwriting on the wall must be seen and
action must be taken. Our future In the air must
be governed and guided not by the selfish desires
OF the advocates OF the old school but by the re.
quirements OF the defense and preservation OF our
national integrity"