Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-11-08
AIR SERVICE IS
BADLY CRIPPLED
REPORT OF COMMISSION SHOWS
AMERICA is FAR BEHIND
OTHER COUNTRIES.
MISERY CONGRESS BLAMED
By EDWARD 8. CLARK

stories to the erect that aerOnautlcS IN
the United States were in a bad way
and that the halt in the, development
of airplane making. and airplane serv-
ice was due largely to the fact that
the government was crippled, by lack
of appropriations, in its efforts to keep
the service abreast of the times.
Now it appears from an official re
port issued by the secretary of war
that there is reason for the stories of
the Gripping of the air service and
for the fact that the United States has
fallen way behind other countries in
this science Of the upper air.
Some time ago the War department
appointed a commission of officers to
consider the needs of the air service.
The commission, composed of men who
know the subject in and out, has pro-
duced its findings and they probably
will not prove to be pleasing to any
American except him who thinks that
the United States should pursue no
line of endeavor which includes the
making of machines which might be
put to the uses of war.
The secretary of war authorized the
printing of the report of the commits
sion. 1t seems likely that the authors
zation came in the hope that congress
might be stirred to remedy existing
conditions. 1t is SAID here by men who
have been students of the situation
that unless congress does something
the condition will be hopeless one in
the near future.
Congress Makes Danger Greater.
The failure of the aircraft industry
to develop commercially has resulted
in making many aircraft makers de-
pendent solely on the government for
their existence. Government orders
have been limited because congress
made such a misery appropriation
for the support of the service. Added
to this is the fact that the law makes
it necessary to use up the airplanes
that were manufactured during the
war before any large number of new
machines can be purchased. Congress
legislated more danger into the lives
of those young Americans who are
willing to serve in a perilous arm of
the military service The war equip
ment has deteriorated and many of the
machines are unsafe.
There is pulsing desire in army
and navy to go ahead with the devel-
opment Of the air service. It is held,
however, that it is almost too much to
G x men to enter on work which under
the best conditions is dangerous, but
which under the conditions imposed by
congress is doubly dangerous. The air
service of the United States is going
to pot The air services Of other coun-
tries are being increased in personnel
and in equipment.
The strength of the air service au-
thorized in the amendment to the Ma
tional Defense Act approved June 4,
1920, was 1,516 officers and 10000 en-
listed men, including $500 flying
cadets. Since that time the peace
strength of the regular army has IN
dergone several reductions and today
the air service allotment is 1861 Off
GERS and 1874 enlisted men, including
100 flying cadets. Today there care
available only $50 officers, about 5000
enlisted men and only 81 flying cadets.
No Relief Before 1926.
The air equipment situation today is
SO critical that with a continuance of
appropriations at the present rate
there soon will be available less than
800 s.erviceable airplanes to meet the
requirement of over five times that
numbee for the present small air
service
The committee which reported on
this matter said specifically that so
per cent of the airplanes are either Of
an obsolete training type, or are ac-
tually unfit for combat use. It requires
about eighteen months to secure de-
livery OF aircraft after the contract
actually has haen executed. 1t is evil
dent therefore, that relief cannot be
expected for the present situation be-
fore 1926. If the United States I'M
fortunately should be forced into war
the eighteen months period necessary
to deliver aircraft in any numbers
presents perhaps something for those
Americans who believe in proper APP
preparations for defense to think about.
When Col. J. Mayhem Wainwright
was assistant secretary of war he
urged that congress adopt policy of
a continuing program Of proper ap-
propiations as the only practical solu-
ton of the equipment problem. Col
onel Wainwright is now member of
congress. 1t is thought in Washington
that with his first-hand knowledge of
conditions he may be able to convince
his colleagues that something ought to
be done for government aeronautics.
The aircraft industry is not develop
ing satisfactorily commercially. In
other countries it is said to be develop
ing properly.
Red Cross Pioneer Work.
The American Red Cross finds that
in many places under the American
flag isolation has forced the people
into primitive method of existence.
Three specific localities are mentioned
by the organization-far-away Alaska,
certain sections Of the Maine coast
and some districts in the mountain re-
oions of North Carolina. There are