The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-11-16
LEGION TO FIGHT
HUGE AIR FORCE
Delegates to Brussels Meet Seek
to Curb Planes.
ACT TO SAVE U. S. BILLIONS

Allied veterans OF the World war
may bring about the holding Of an in
ternational air conference to limit mil
itary aircraft armament and end the
present race for superiority In prog
ress among the nations Of Europe.
Alarmed at the air preparations be-
Ing made by France, England, Italy
and Russia, the American Legion dele
gates to the Interallled Veterans
federation convention In Brussels will
wage Il determined fight to induce
delegates from all countries to influ-
ence their governments to participate
in an international meeting to reduce
air ornaments.
The Legion charges that France, by
embarking upon the most stupendous
air program in the history of the
world, has started mad conflict for
mastery of the air from a military
standpoint which threatens to disturb
world peace. Leaders Of the veterans
organization have determined to make
all efforts to curb this demonstration
of militarism on the part of their for
mer allies.
To Ask Air Disarmament Meet.
To this end the Legion will ask
President Coolidge to call an air dis
armament conference in Washington,
similar to the conference on naval
limitation held in 1921.
There is no exaggeration in regard
to the seriousness of the situation,
according to the Legion leaders, who
point out that France has 40 squad
rons of military flying machines and
Intends to have 220 squadrons by 1925.
Included in the armament, they state,
are planes which carry 75-millimeter
cannon, others that can transport six
machine guns and their crews, enor-
nous bombers, special fighting ships
armored with battleship steel and &C.
tual troopships of the air. England
which has voted an extra $27, 500,00
to enlarge its air armada, is Frances
nearest competitor, it is stated, while
Russia plans a force of 10000 planes
and Italy has created separate air
service with plans for extensive ex-
pansion.
Acts to Save U. S. Billions.
1t is the Legion's desire to hold the
conference before it becomes neces-
say for the United States to appropri.
ate billions of dollars for construc.
ton of military aircraft to cope with
the situation created by the activities
of foreign powers.
Alvin Owsley, national commander
of the Legion, just before sailing for
Europe to attend the veterans CON
ference, expressed the situation as
follows:
"The conference on naval limitation
at Washington in 1921 went a long
way to persuade the worlds mind to-
ward peace upon the waters. Land
forces, too, are fast being reduced.
1t is only in the air that danger
threatens. France has equipped her
self with an air fleet which is equal
in power to the combined air forces
of the rest of the world. The French
minister of war declared his country
is tired of being a battlefield and is
preparing, should war come again, to
carry the battle Immediately into the
enemy's country.
Britain Becomes Alarmed.
"At this the British across the
channel have taken alarm. A former
cabinet minister declares that France
with her tremendous air forces could
destroy London tomorrow. So the
British vote additional millions Of
pounds and set out to build as great
an air force as France has. Premier
Baldwin says England must be pre-
pared against attack by the strong
est air force within striking distance.
1t is France against whom England
thus prepares. The British admit it.
Along comes Italy, and after sign
ing the Washington naval treaty and
greatly diminishing her land force and
announces the establishment OF Il
separate air force and votes large
credits to expand 1t as soon as pos
sible into an effective war force.
by these means iS the peace Of
mind of Europe disturbed and the
peace Of the world threatened. The
allied partnership, which should be
preserved intact to deal with the great
problems of the hour, which is as nee
esSary to civilization, now is strained
and endangered. The American Legion
feels there is way out Let this
mad race for supremacy in the air be
ended as the mad race for supremacy
on the seas was ended. It is fool
hardy to contend that 1t cannot be
DONE"