The Washington times., 1924-03-27
A|RCRAF 7 VITAL
FACTOR IN
DEFENSE
Army and Navy Helpless With.
out Adequate Overhead
Protection, Says Expert.
BY w. F. FULLAM,
Rear Admiral U. s. N. (Retlred)


News Seryice.)
The coast of the United States
is undefepded. The Panama Canal
is at the mercy of modern weapons.
Our foreign possessions can be
seized with ease by an enemy that
Commands the air."
These are not sensational state
ments. They cannot be refuted.
The reason for this critical situa-
ton is perfectly evident-we have
ancient defences pitted against new
and modern weapons. The report
on the naval maneuverS in the
Canal Zone demonstrates that the
army and navy air forces were
totally Inadequate" The declara.
ton is officially made that "imme-
date steps should be taken to in.
sure proper air protection for the
canal" and it is agreed by aviation
experts that the navy has reached
the point where mo advance means
failure Of our entire aerial do
fense."
Bombs Strike Socks.
struck the canal locks repeatedly,
thus technically dividing the United
States fleet into two helpless parts.
An army of hundreds of thousands of
men, and hundred battleships with
out enough planes to command
the air" would avail as nothing
against an enemy flying over them
with 2,0O0.pound bombs. Our army
OF nd "a ot
above themselves; otherwise they
are lost
The situation in the Pacific is
exactly the same as on the East
coast. The Philippines, Hawaii,
Alaska and the home coast cannot
be defended If they lack a dominat-
ing air force-a greater number of
planes than an enemy can bring
against them.
Value Of Aircraft.
And it is plain that to protect
these widely separated possessions
we must have weapons that can
move from point to point. The
navy fills this specification. 1t
must have a strong submarine
force, and it must carry with 1t at
all times a bigger air force than an
enemy can mobilize. A fleet with
out these weapons-air forces and
submarines-is quite useless. But II
our fleet, moving from point to
point meet the hostile armada, can
command the air above and the sea
beneath the enemy, the victory is
ours.
1t is amazing that some army
and naval experts will not see these
things. 1t is fatal to them. 1t
jeopardizes their influence. They
must keep up with the times. They
must not waste money on defenses
that will not defend. They must
not accept conditions Of inevitable
defeat, and give to our enemies the
modern weapons that will secure
victory over us.
In the face Of these facts we read
that an army officer Of high rank
on the Pacific coast pins his faith
upon a large number OF stxteen-inch
guns which are fixed in position,
and which range only twenty-five
miles. How many of these anchored
"octopuses" would be required to
protect US along thousands Of miles
from the Aleutian Islands to San
Diego?
guns VI A"HSS
would not deter a fleet from com
ing to our coast, if the fleet is
armed with flying guns ranging
100 miles, carry 2.000-pound bombs.
The enemy would lie fifty miles
beyond the range Of our Don
Quixote lances and leisurely blow
them off the earth.
Threat an Invitation.
We must chose, therefore. between
the modern defensive weapons that
will keep our overseas enemy at
home minding his own business, and
the ancient weapons which. like an
engraved invitation, will bring him
to our coast to enjoy himself in a 4
riot Of bombing at our expense.
The nation should rejoice that
Congress has reversed it's decision
and appropriated 100000 for air
mail facilities. But it is not bust
ness and commerce alone that will
benefit by air mail and commercial
flying. The airplane industry. a |
vital power, is now dying. 1t may
be revived to provide means for
national defense. Every mail and
commercial plane brings a weapon
for the use of the army and navy
H.. 80