The Washington times., 1924-06-03
AIR SUPREMACY
SOUGHT BY
ITALY
MussoIini Lays Plans to Put
1000 Planes Into Service
This Year.
BY LUTHER A.. HUSTON.
International News Service.

| LONDON, june 3.--Italy is the
latest entrant in the race for Euro.
pean air supremacy. That country
has now Joined with England in an
effort to create an air force equal
in size and power to that of France.
The Italian Government. accord.
ing to information received in Off
cial British circles, is now engaged
in a program of building that will
quadruple its air force within the
next six MONTHS Completion of
the program will give italy at least
1000, and possibly 1900. first-line
planes before the end of 1924.
! At the present time Italy's
strength in effective; first.line
planes is said to. be not, more than
300 machines. France has 1000
land about 100. England's building
planes by the end of 1925: France
and Italy, IL she follows out her
have at least 1900. if she does not
-
Italy and England both are
building more planes for just one
reason" said British official in
commenting upon the announce.
ment Of Italy's intention to quad
ripple her air fleet. '"That reason
is France. So long as France
keeps on building fighting planes,
Italy and England cannot do other.
wise than strengthen their own
forces"
England Is Not Alarmed.
England. 1t was made clear in
official circles. is not alarmed over
Italy's expansion of her air service.
1t was pointed out that the largest
| concentration of French air forces
is in Southern France, in cities and
districts near the Italian border.
Across that border lies Italy's rich
est industrial area, surrounding the
great cities of Turin and Milan. In
the event Of war between Italy and
France. the heart of Italy's indus
trial life could be attacked by air,
unless Italy's air fleet was capable
of repeling the invading armada.
While British officials deprecate
the idea of a Franco.Italian war,
they admit that, under present con.
dltlons. any measures Italy may
take to prepare for possible even.
Qualities are justified.
ltaly's preparations for increas.
ing. her air force are the fruition of
plans long under consideration by
Premier Mussolini. The Italian
prime minister holds the post of
air secretary in the cabinet, and
is personally responsible for the
governments air policy.
Due to internal and financial con-
d1t1onS, Italy has been unable h!th-
erto to do more than keep abreast
| OF technical developments in the
aviation field. 1t is apparent that
Mussolini has now reached the con.
clusion that the time is opportune
Tor embarking on building pro.
gram and a vastly increased Italian
air force will be the result.
Although Italy is concentrating
her attention on military aviation,
several schemes for the establish
ment of state-aided commercial
services have been tentatively
drawn up by the government, &C.
cording to information in official
British circles. One of these con-
templates service between Turin
and Trieste: another between Ma
pies and the Italian colony at
Tripoli. and another would join
with the French in a service be-
tween Marseilles and Genoa.
None of these services seems like.
ly' to be established in the imme.
date future, but these, or similar
schemes. are certain to be launched
whenever the Italian government
feels able to undertake them.