The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-14
URGES ADEQUATE
DEFENSE In AIR
Major Lands Thrills Audi
ence With Expose of
Air Weakness.
SHOWS NATIONS NEED
United States Must Have Air
Defense Equal If Not Super
iOr to Any Other Nation.

If the Stars and Stripes are to con-
tinue to wave Ger the land Of the free
and the home of the brave and to mark
it as the foremost country of the
world, this nation must adopt an air
policy which will give it defense in
the air equal or superior to that of
any other nation in the world.
This was in effect the stirring mess
age brought to Kenosha on Tuesday
evening by Major Reed lands, son
of The famous Judge Kenesaw Noun
tain Lands, and in his own right one
of the best informed men in the coun-
try on the question of air defense. In
war days Major Lands was an ace and
since the time of the war he has de-
voted much time to the study of the
aviation question both from a military
standpoint and also a standpoint of
commerce.
IA nation to maintain it's place in
Ehe world from political, national and
economic standpoint must maintain SUI
premacy in the air." declared Major
Lands boldly. We have the best
aviators, the best mechanics and the
national air power is in pitiable
state. We cannot blame Congress
Congress has made ample appropria-
tions. Why have these appropriations
gone astray?"
Hits at Present Methods.
1--WE believe that this has happened
partly because the development of air
power in this nation has not been in
The hands of air men," he continued.
"Some men are of the conservative
retrospective class, they look at the
past and heretofore our air policy has
been in the hands of those men. 9th
ers look with constructive magma
tions to the future; they figure ON
what they can do, not on what they
class. We who have studied aviation
want to see a reorganization; we want
the air power in the hands of men who
know what its all about a men, will
ing to accept evidence that We can do
things We want change on the gen.
eral staff of the army; the budget and
operating expense for the air service
are now drawn by men who do not
believe in it,
Major Lands went on to show the
advance made in aviation in recent
years declaring that it had been shown
absolutely that America by aviation
cessfully if need be for defense.
"And," warned the speaker, "this works
both ways: if we can carry war by
air, any other nation can do the same.
There is only one defense against air
attack and that is an equal or SUI
prefer air power. The anti air craft
talk is all bunk; they make pretty
patterns but they do little harm"
Major Lands also brought the word
that a new day has dawned for air
transportation.
within the next year, you will find
the entire United States covered with
a network of airlines, carrying mail,
passengers and express of all kinds
and competing with railways at a very
little increase in rates." he declares.
"This is coming and you who are in
business must prepare for it. Air
transportation is the modern method
Of transportation; it is not in the
future, it is here"
He showed how commercial planes
might be quickly transformed into
military planes in time of war and
appealed for the same sort of gov
ernmental support for aviation as has
been given to the merchant marine.
eve have a beautiful foundation for
th;s country" he said in conclusion,
eve have wonderful walls and furn-
ishings but we have no roof at all.
Any time an enemy with an adequate
air force wants to rain down bullets
upon us, it could be done. Let US
put a roof over our country by build
ing up an adequate air defense. 1t is
up to the people of this community
to do its part in talking this question
and developing real agitation for air
defense
Major Lands is an able and inter
esting speaker He has the courage,
wit and oratorical ability of his noted
father, bidding fair to make as great
a name for himself in his chosen field
as his father has made as jurist and
attorney.