The Washington times., 1923-10-15
LINN TING Of AIR
POWER IS
OPPOSED
Rear Admiral FuIlam Says
Plan Would Endanger All
Weak Nations.
w. F. FULLAM,
Rear Admiral, U. s. Navy (Retired).
copyright, 1928, by Cosmopolitan
News Service \

Rear Admiral, U. s. Navy (Retired).
copyright, 1928, by Cosmopolitan
News Service.)
Commander Alvin Owsley and a
faction of the American Legion are
advocating an international confer
ence to limit military aircraft arm
ament." The Legion is by no means
a unit in urging this conference.
The Illinois State organization has
proposed q "big increase in our air
navy" and there Is promise of a
spirited opposition when the SUBJ
ject is brought before the national
convention of the Legion at San
Francisco.
1t is true that many Senator'S,
Representatives, Governors, editors,
college presidents and peace soci.
cites have expressed sympathy with
the proposition. But it also is true
that other individuals who have
studied the subject more broadly,
and who have an intelligent concep-
ton Of the relation of air power to
peace as well as war, are strongly
opposed to the limitation of this new
power. They want peace as much as
the pacifist! But they are convinced
that the attempt to limit military
air power will not bring peace-that
it may do harm by placing the small
weak nations at the mercy of the
strong in some cases, and it may
serve to block quick transportation
and business prosperity the world
over.
In strong contrast to the Legion
attitude and its 'well-meaning
porters we have the decision of the
Washington conference that it
would be futile to limit aircraft be.
cause they will soon be universally
>loyed in the every day peaceful
routine of commercial life of every
nation! Secretary Hughes, Elihu
Root, Senator Lodge, Senator Under
wood, the late President Harding
and President Coolidge agreed on
this point. Supporting them, the
National Aeronautical Association at
its recent convention at st. Louis
unanimously adopted q resolution to
the effect that the proposition of
the American Legion would not pro-
mote peace but would cripple our
national defense and SERIOUSLY
1 N T E RF ERE WITH TIL E
WORLDS COMMERCIAL PROS
PERITY AS WELL AS OUR OWN
This is also the view Of the Army
INV ANoFJ oil SCI N1NCSs Ills dESOCla-
ton as we'll as the War and Navy
Department are not promoting aero
nautlcs for war or aggression.
They are promoting It in self
defense and for commercial plr-
poses-in the interest Of peace.
Can Defy Attacks.
Air forces and submarines are the
main defense of small or. weak MA
tons like Portugal, Cuba, and China
against the aggression of strong
maritime powers. With these
weapons, and without a navy, these
nations can defy attack from the
sea.
Fleets, no matter how powerful,
cannot approach a coast so de.
tended! In limiting air forces and
submarines therefore we make the
weak nation weaker and the strong
nation stronger! Admiral Won
Scheer-and many other students of
modern war-have declared that
there need no longer be any fear of
a grand fleet in war overseas!
Armies cannot be landed, ard
navies are powerless against attack
AtOIu dUONc dilu OSlOW.
Limiting military" aircraft will
not prevent war for the obvious
reason that millions of aircraft will
soon be employed in the air man
and transportation services of every
nation on earth!
Cannot Be Stopped.
Nothing can stop the march Of
air power-in peace, in business, in
the daily life of the farmer, the
banker, and the merchant. Abolish
the army and navy air services if
you will! What will happen? A
nation going to war will take the
mail, passengers. and merchandise
out Of its airplanes and airships,
load them up with bombs, torpedoes
and mines, rally them into the army
and navy with their trained pilots
and proceed to bomb the enemy on
land and sea!
The airplane and the airship-
unlike other military and naval
Wepons-are as useful in peace !
they are powerful in war! And in
overseas war they lid the def
much more than the offense. Thus
the Pacifist misses the point! He
would desert the weak and aid the