Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-10
NOT TO ATTEMPT
LIMITATION OF
WAR AIR CRAFT
Decision Naval Com
mittee in Rejecting
All Suggestions
Nothing of an Effective Nature
in Sight-Mixed Committee
to Study Problem from
Different Angle-Dirigible
Question Yet to Be Settled

Washington. Jan. 9.-(By A. P)-
All suggestions for limitation of mill
tary aircraft were thrust aside as i'm
practicable today by the naval commit
tee of the arms conference, the fol
lowing resolution being adopted:
1.-THE committee Is OF the opinion
that it is not at present practical to
impose any effective limita tons upon
the numbers Of characteristics of air.
craft, either commercial or military
At the same time agreement was
reached for the creation Of a mixed
committee of experts and jursts to
.aha up at some future time a study of
the rules OF Warfars vi their applca-
s,on to Interior operations. me exact
WLr.sInR CT the resolution to this end
:ae,Wd:nG enc specific mission Of the
c0Gi1lissicE and jlsr now the body
was to be constituted was left to the
drafting committee.
The resolution declaring aircraft
limitation impra cticable at this time
follows closely the language of the
report of the subcommittee. 1t was
changed, however, to eliminate an eX-
ception to lightcr-than-air Graf. noted
by the subcommittee, the full com
mittee does not make e.car that the
delegations were agreed in the same
general argument against restricting
aircraft development because of the
wide possibilities the future may he'd
for commercial aviation, applied both
to airplanes and dirigibles
Another change in the sub-committae
conclusion was the insertion at the
the British group. Of the words "al
present. Mr.. Balfour said the time
might come when arms limitation pro-
jects could be projected into the field
of aviation, more definite knowledge
then being available to a practical DIS
tinction between commercial ard mill
tary flying machines.
Senator Schanzer of Italy expressed
regret that * was the opinion of The
conference that nothing could now be
undertaken in the way of limiting mil
itary aviation to avoid competition, as
competitive building Of capital ships
was to be curbcd. He suggested a fu-
ture conference on the subject and
called attention to the fact that Ital;" $
representative on the sub-cCmmitte tee
had thought some limitation of air
forces might be possible through re-
strction of the numbers of military
pilots.
Senator Underwood replied that air
planes and dirigiblcs both were used
commercial purposes. A pilot train
ing for commercial work could fly a
military machine. he added and Cor
this reason and also because tic qucs-
ton of land armament was nor to be
taken up by the present conference, lie
agreed with the technical committee
that aircraft limitations were imprac-
ticable.
Mr.. Balfour pointed out that many
persons thought development Of av:a-
tiol would exert an immense influence
upon economic development OF man
kind adding that restrictions on air
craft development, therefore, would
restrict also the peaceful purposes of
international communication. What
ever the future might make possible.
re said. present knowledge would not
hermit distinction between fighting
And commercial developments in the
air.
NJ. Sarraut for the French shared
this view. He would regard with ap-
prehension, he said, ANYTHING of a na-
ture ito paralyze the progress of av;a-
ton"
Baron Kato for Japan said the time
would come when aircraft limitations
would be necessary, but agreed that Il
could not be done now. and MIR. Hught s
summed up committee opinion as
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