Evening star., 1925-09-21

es permit. but not at the expense Of
other vital needs of the department.
Reserve of Flyers.
"a larger reserve of flyers should
be built up when funds permit
ANY duplication of Army and
Navy Service installation, IL any still
exists. should be eliminated.
"An additional brigadier general
should be authorized by Congress to
head the supply section of the Air
Service and to develop the Industrial
preparedness plans.
Restrictions on the method Of Gov
ernment purchases Of airplanes
should Temporarily be relaxed, under
proper safeguards.
"A clear delineation of the mis-
sions OF the Army and Navy in coast
defense should be adopted.
The permanent housing bill in
troduced by the War Department in
in order that the intolerable living
| conditions now existing in many
| posts may be improved.
"A bureau of civil air navigation
| should be established under the De-
partment of Commerce"
Recalls Weeks Testimony.
Regarding organization Mr.. Davis
said:
1.-The policies Of the War Depart.
ment are determined by the Secretary
of War. The Secretary, Mr.. John w.
Weeks, unfortunately cannot be here
| today because Of illness. In testifying
| before a committee of Congress he
| made the following statements which
express, therefore the policy Of the
War Department on the organization
of the Air Service:
CT have already expressed my po-
sition as to the establishment Of q
department Of aeronautics. No Gov
ernment department has ever been or
ganiZed to develop and operate any
single machine or other article of
commerce or war. We have not or
ganiZed a railroad department. radio
department, nor an automotive depart
ment; yet all those activities are very
important to national defense. In my
opinion, no organization should be set
up under which 1t will be necessary
for any department to apply to an
| other department for tools required
to conduct its operations.
"I believe the present organ1Za-
| ton under the national defense act
providing for an air service as an
integral part OF the Army is sound and
should not be altered. Out combat
forces must be organized in the most
efficient manner for war and not for
peace time administration and opera
| ton. All combatant forces employed
in theater Of operations must be un-
der a single command; consequently.
proper coordination OF effort and
| unity of command require that air
forces be included in the Army and
Navy. 1t Is the unanimous opinion
OF officers who have successfully di-
rected the combined operations Of all
arms during the World War that the
Army cannot operate efficiently with
out an air service. and, further, that
there is no mission for a separate air
service which cannot be executed by
the Army Air Service.
I'm laying our plans for the de-
velopment and encouragement Of this
comparatively new element of ma
tional defense 1t is essential to keep
In mind its primary objective-that
is, to augment our defense forces.
Consequently an organization having
in view the promotion of its rapid
development and efficient operation
in time of peace should be based
primarily upon its efficient function
ing in war.
I'm warfare unity of command" is
essential. Lack of such unity of
command" has probably been the
cause of more defeats and disasters
In military history than any other
one contributing cause. 1t nearly
caused the defeat in, and undoubtedly
prolonged, the two greatest wars IN
our history-the Civil War and the
World War. After such experience
1t is unthinkable that any nation
could deliberately prepare it's forces
for national defense SO as to insure
divided responsibilities and divided
command in every possible theater
of operations. Yet that Is just what
is proposed in the bill under con-
sideration.
"'The Army and the Navy have long
been established as separate and in
dependent arms of the national de-
fense, each with its definite function