The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-08-25


Inc principal recommendations made by this
commission, none of which have been adopted and
which were dlscredited rather than discouraged,
were the establishment of department of air,
with cabinet officer at its head coeoua in impor
lance and In representation with the DEPARTMENTS
OF war Navy and Of Commerce the establish
ment or governmental institutions of education
and training, including air academy all omen
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
rs not the time at hand to demand that nm
efficient. intelligent and definite policy he formu
lated and carried out2
THOSE who have studied this matter thoroughly
and fairly of the opinion that this will he i'm
possible as long as present policy of dstrib-
utng our air activities among several govern
mental departments is tolerated and it is neces-
sary that we have reorganization of our national
defense agencies If our future as an air power Ia
not to be entirely ecpsed 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 omen
we are between two oceans, our first steps In war
Will be over the Early in the war the dsod
Santages OF having our Army Air Service as mart
or the Signal corps were recognized and II was
made distinct and separate service of the army
AS result our Army Air Service is more efficient
than 1t ever could have been otherwise ms part of
the army. If we are to uphold our defense over
the sea we must have an air navy Our naval avi
alton service must he rounded out into distnc,
ana separate corps, and then combined with onr
Army AIR Service and our bureau of civil aeronou
ties into great efficient and well-baIoncad
national air service
what we need now is the consolidation Of or-
war and Navy departments into n single Denort
.neht OF National Defense, with Secretary for
N"uona' belehSe ms It's head and an underSecre.
tary Tor army, an undersecretary for navy and -,
undersecretary for air The under,]enort,n,,, Gu
air should have. in addition To the undersecro,z
Tor AIR nj its head, three suhadministrotive on
GERS an assistant secretary for army mir nm os
sistant secretary for naval air and nm ,sSis,,r.
secretary for civil air
Such an organization would not only f,s,
greater economy and cooperation between or-
present army and navy, but would create -, '
efficient and wellbalanced national mir soryi '
Such service would carry with :, - -
aud spirit equal to that OF our mucb.oI,,i.n,
Marine corps, Ii would facilitate tho astohIi.,
ment of schools Of strategy and tactics ~ Isl
and OF welEdirected study of the science 90 "l'
nautical engineering. 1t would give the narsar,
an opportunity to devote their attention - ,te
motion OF the development of aeronap,icS =.
WOULD retain all experienced aviators in Tho s,.'
Ice. II would bring our present moro or -. ',''
organized and dissatisfied navy and army ,,t. -
into weIlorcanZed efficient and v,,r,t, '''.'''
uf our armed forces '"'' IN'
The handwriting On the wall must bs ,...,,
ae''"h must be taken our future in the u,, ,.,.
bee governed and guided not by the selt., a. '>
OF The advocates of the old school but h, w..
quirements OF the defense and preservation ,, ..
national integrity" VIZ ''.