The New York herald., 1922-05-14
AIR FORCES SEEN AS
FIRST DEFENSE LINE
Brig. Gen. Groves of British
Army Declares They Have
Supplanted Navy.
Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. O., May 1877
The constantly increasing effective
ness of air forces, revolutionizing the
warfare of the future, was frankly
acknowledged here to-day by prominent
officials of the army.
The possibility that this continued de-
velopment will completely revolutionize
warfare and make the air forces and
not the navy the first line Of defense was
admitted. These admissions followed
publication of statements made by Brig
Gen. p. r. c. Groves of the British
army to the effect that already the air
forces and not the navy constituted Brit
aims first line force.
Army officials were loath to discuss
the question for publication because of
the fear of inducing controversies with
the navy. A high official of the War
Department, however, stated 1t as his
belief that the air force was constantly
increasing its effectiveness and expressed
an opinion similar to that Of Gen.
Groves.
The air service of this country Is a
subject of the most serious considera-
ton and plans are being made by the
army to increase the effectiveness of
this branch Of American defense
Army More Radical.
1t has been clear that ever since the
bombing tests resulting from the con.
troversy precipltated by Gen. Mitchell
Assistant Chief of the Army Air Ser
vice, both the army and navy have been
undergoing changes of heart relative tc
the air service. Both branches still
IL. =. ~ q
is the unit of defense. but whether the
dreadnaught will be in the first line.
or whether its place will be taken by
aircraft Is still subject of debate.
Naturally, the army is more revolu-
tionary in this respect than the navy.
where old time faith In the dreadnaught
prevails.
At present the army is working on
the air service, with sensational an
nouncements concerning new programs
in prospect. Meantime, the department
is giving every possible encouragement
to the development OF commercial avia-
ton, including the development of the
air mail service.
First" said Gen. Groves. in begin
ming his public appeal for the develop
ment of the British air forces. there
is the clamorous inexorable fact that
the character of war has changed II
war should come, then London. Birming-
ham, Manchester, Liverpool. Glasgow,
the whole crowded north, every, port,
every dockyard. every arsenal, avery
naval and military center will be as
much in the front line as was Ypres
in the late war.
LET us not confuse the issue by dis
cusslons on the relative values Of air.
craft and battleships in warfare at sea.
That is, comparatively speaking. OF sec
ondary Importance. II the fleets of the
world were massed in the North Sea
and the Channel. and they all belonged
to England. that mighty array of sea
power obviously could do nothing to pro-
tect us against air attack.
Navy No Longer First Line.
"The only possible deduction is that
the navy no longer Is our first line OF
defense, which to-day and henccforward
must be air power.
"The second fact" Gen. Sroves con-
tinued, "is that we British have no air
power. We are to all intents and pur-
pose defenseless against attack from
the air. France, menaced by the future
development of German civil aviation
for war purposes, has developed her air
force she now possesses 126 air squad
rons ana VIII Dy tne emu OF tnis year
possess 220 squadrons.
"In addition she has several hundred
civil machines ear-marked for war pur-
poses. together with their necessary per-
sonnel and echelons Of repair. Now that
the long-feared treaty between Germany
and Bolshevist Russia has been conclud-
ed. a treaty which Gen. Ludendorf advo-
Gated in July, 1920. as a means to de-
stroying the consequences OF our defeat
and realize in the near future the idea
of revenge. the foresight shown by
France in the building up Of her air de-
fei-ses must be apparent to an