Evening star., 1922-01-08

power continually inspecting all of
it's manufacturing plants in order to
| ascertain whether the limitations 1t
| imposed were being enforced.
| All these points received the
closest of consideration with refer
ence to the Limitation of Germany s
plicated that the final drafting Of the
technical rules has not yet been
completed. But taking rules as
drafted and even assuming con-
| tinuous inspection OF q most stringent
character. 1t appears that there are
still loopholes for evasion. No rules
! can prevent aircraft being designed
| In peace to permit OF the ready In
/ stallment of larger tanks in war;
; engines can be made interchangeable,
/: enabling one of higher power to be
rapidly installed: even carrying sur
face can be increased by the stand.
ardization and interchangeability OF
! wings and other methods. and 1t Ia
not impossible to conceive OF civil
| and commercial aircraft being de-
T.! signed with a view to ultimate war
| requirements.
! 10. For the above reason, the COM
stage of development Of aviation a
universal limitation by formulae OF
the character of commercial aircraft
is impracticable.
| Qsestion of Subsidy.
| IL. Without expressing an opinion
as to the desirability of abolishing
subsidies for the encouragement OF
commercial aviation, the committee
points out that such subsidies. direct
or indirect. can have a great influence
ION the character and number of com
lmerciai aircraft in relation to their
war value. In fact. subsidies will
tend to decrease the natural diverg-
ence between military and CONNER
cial aircraft and render the latter
more readily adaptable to war uses.
1t Is necessary. however. to add that
+, indirect subsidies or other encourage
tment are most difficult to prevent, and
even when, acting in good faith gov
ernments of different nations will
place different interpretations on such
encouragement.
| The question of whether subsidies
are granted or not will have great
bearing upon development of COM
mercial aircraft in general. and will
tions. This question. therefore. can
not be determined from the point of
view solely Of the adaptability for war
iuses.
[ Civil Aircraft.
I In this discussion a distinction is
drawn between commercial aircraft
and civil aircraft; the latter will COM
!
except those which it operates in con-
nection with its military enterprises.
| Civil aircraft will therefore include
| any which are State-operated in the
| customs service. for transporting the
mails. the exercise of its police pow
lers, and the like. 1t Is readily apparent
that AS aircraft operate in a medium
where there are no physical barriers.
| they can compete in some measure with
every means of transportation used on
land or water. It is therefore possible
for much of the transportation re-
quirements of any state to be met by
the operation OF aircraft. Such air
craft manifestly are not dependent for
their being upon their ability to be
ioperated at a profit. The state will de-
eide how best it may enforce its
laws. exercise its police power, trans
mails. and the means used will be
| those which are most efficient and
most economical from the standpoint
of the state itself. The cheapest will
not always be the best or the most
satisfactory.
The number and the legitimate use
OF aircraft by any government fol-
such civil purposes will therefore be
limited only by the estimate placed
upon the service which they can rem
der and by the consent of the people
to raising by taxation the amount OF
money which must be employed 70,
their requirement operation and
1s. II the civil agencies Of a state
use aircraft for police or other pur.
poses mat are essentially military In
character. this class Of civil aircrafi
should be discussed under the iimita.
| ton OF military aircraft.
-. Ihe number and character OF
sueh civil aircraft can be limited only
oy an arbitrary agreement among the
Is. 1t would, again, be utterly i'm.
practicable to set UP any agency act.
ing under authority other than tina,
OF q nation itself to regulate the mum.
Der OF civil aircraft owned and oper.
ated by the state. O0'
Lighter-Than-Air Craft
l6. The characteristics of lighter.
than-air craft are such that Iimita.
@ 1ion OF number and character present.
1t Is peculiarity of these craft thst
their efficiency is very intimateIy
bound up in their size. Small diriei.
pies nave a war value of their own
but 1t is limited and they cannot bt
}considered as offensive weapons. Fo,
example. a small vessel Of this kind
cannot attain any considerable heiRh,
while carrying a useful load, ant
even II flled with non-inflammable
gas its -vulnerability to gun fire al
the heights 1t could reach precludes its
being utilized for such purposes q,
aerial bombardment. Only in large
sized dirigfbles can a useful load bt
carried to reasonable military hefoh
at q fair speed. Limitation Of size i,
therefore sufficient to insure tina,
lighter-than-air craft should be in.
capable OF offensive aerial action
Moreover. the constitution of large
dirigibles requires large shed accom-.
mediation and cannot be kept secret
In this respect they resemble surface
warships.
T. II. It is. therefore, possible to reeu
late their numbers and size by a sim.
pie system Of international agree.
ment, and infringement Of such agree
ment can be readily detected without
. detailed system Of control.
1s. The committee Is agreed thai
i dirigibles may still exist. Although
in the later stages Of the world wal
1t appeared as II the defense had tn,
mastery over attack in lighter-tha
air craft, the Introduction of larger
craft filled with non-inflammable ga.
and carrying their own protectiv,
aeroplanes may again permit bonn
bardments being carried out by dirigi
bIes
] This committee desires, however, t,
bfes become increasingly emcien
with increase Of size. Any limit which
is imposed on the size Of commercia
dirfgibles must shut the door on thu
n possibility of their development fol
legitimate civil enterprises.
| Limitation of Use.
4 10. The committee is of the opinion
that it would be useless. to attempt t.
; lay down q rule that civil and CONNER
cial aircraft should not be used in war
as they consider that no nation coult
deny itself the value for war purpose,
of their commercial machines, provided