Evening star., 1925-10-03
The Rodgers Testimony.

| Comdr. John Rodgers, commander
of the Hawaiian flight, exemplif1es in
himself the very thing for which he
| contends, opposing the proposed uni
Ged'' -or separate air service. He is "A
| sailor of the sea as Well as OF the air.
! His argument before the Presidents
Air Board yesterday declared against
the establishment of an independent
| air force whose personnel would be
airmen and not soldiers or sailors.
More particularly he discussed the
! problem from the standpoint of the
sea pointing out there is as muojl DIFF
ference between an aviator who flies
| over land and one who flies over sea
as there is between a soldier and a
sailor.
| THE naval aviator said Conldr.
| Rodgers, should be trained first to
| the sea. and then to the air over the
sea; he should be qualified not only to
operate his machine over the sea. but
able to perform duties on board his
| base. which is the ship"
| Coming from the Navy's premier
| aviator. the second man In the Navy
who learned to fly, this Is advice which
the proponents Of a separate air serv
ice would do we'll to ponder. Comdr.
Rodgers further pointed out that 1t is
| inconceivable airplanes should operate
great distances at sea except with
ships as bases. The unified air service
plan contemplates the development Of
seagoing airplanes and their farming
| out to the Navy in lots. as from a
| livery stable" The commander Of
| these airplanes necessarily passes un-
der the command Of a seaman In COM
| mand of the ship unit to which the air
planes are attached.
This seaman" said Comdr. Rodgers,
'if the united air service were effec-
| tive, would be person totally un-
trained and inexperienced in the opera
| ton of airplanes."
| The naval aviator can best be
| trained. Comdr. Rodgers insisted, in
the organization in which he is to
fight. He insisted further that the
command Of airplane carriers and
tenders and all ships whose major
duty is to serve airplanes should fall
to those who have had experience In
airplanes.
So important does Comdr. Rodgers
consider the unity Of command" that
he went so far as to declare himself
in favor of "a single department of
national defense" which shall include
both the Navy and the Army. This in
opposition to the plan for setting up
| of a new air service distinct from
either the Army or the Navy. He
! aboos, too. the suggestion emanating
| from some quarters that special corps
of aviation be set up in the Navy and
the Army, believing that such a course
wuold lead to jealousies and heart
burnings, and would interfere also
with the essential unity of command.
The hard-headed sailor-aviator called
attention also to a point that is rarely
discussed. the high cost Of defense by
! air. A general impression has been
gained. largely through propa aganda.
| that defense by air is cheap. But
Comdr. Rodgers insists that the fig
ures, if brought TO light, would not
| 'be pleasant to look upon" He did
not use this as an argument against
the upbuilding of air defense. but as a
reason why steps should be taken to
reduce this cost.
Two constructive measures We're
advocated by Comdr. Rodgers to meet
the situation. one was the establish
ment of separate budget for aviation,
! so that the costs would be easily un-
derst TODD and the other the establish
ment OF separate promotion list for
| the aviators.
/ The recommendations of Comdr.
| Rodgers are the deliberate conclusions
OF an officer who has served on every
! kind of craft used in the Navy. and
who has a long and brilliant record in
aviation. AS such they doubtless will
| be given earnest consideration.