Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17
A|RP[ANES SOUGHT
IN NEW RUM WAR
Congress Will Be Asked to
Fill Need of Coast
Guard.

The administration shortly may ask
Congress TO augment its anti-rum
forces with the nucleus of an air fleet.
This WAS learned today from a high
lime that ii developed from other
channels that rum srnugglers have
been driven by the ever-tightening
blockade of the United States Coast
Guard to resort more and more 10 the
use of airplanes.
To combat this weapon In the hands
or the lawbreakers, the administra-
ton, 1t is known. is mapping out
program to meet the situation.
Details Are Withheld.
Details of the program are with
held, but definite indications have come
from several other sources pointing
directly toward Strengthening the Gov.
ernment's war on rum through the
air. Prohibition administrators are
known to have made numerous re,
quests for the use Of airplanes in their
work. Secretary Mellon has gone so
rar AS to recommend for a start Two
small aviation stations, with four
planes each" to take care Of present
requirements. President Coolidge has
said he would ask Congress for "addi-
tonal appropriations for the Coast
Guard for the remainder of this fiscal
year" probably meaning items in the
deficiency bill.
With the Mitchell trial entering It's
final stages. public sentiment
aroused to more interest In the ef-
fectiveness of aircraft, and with ap-
preparation bills before Congress for
the fiscal year 1927 providing for
larger expenditures on aircraft. the
administration. 1t is understood, has
not as vet definitely decided just how
TO handle the problem of airplanes
to chase the rum smugglers. but is
virtually determined upon a policy of
using them in some fashion. Since
the Coast Guard is charged with re-
sponsibility of stopping smuggling, and
II is the only uniformed. armed branch
of the Federal service having need for
alrplanes, without appropriation for
them, It is believed this organiza-
ton will be chosen to handle the stu
alton. Already the Coast Guard is
operating one borrowed plane, and It
is understood the old prohibition unit
had few available.
Position of Coolidge.
President Coolidge in his budget
message to Congress gave intimations
that he would ask for further re-
Scoi SCo Luz enforcement
this year. The President told Con-
gress that the activities of the Coast
Guard should be enlarged and
strengthened at the earliest date pos
sible. To this end" the President
added, significantly. II propose to
recommend to the Congress additional
appropriations for the Coast Guard for
the remainder of this fiscal year and
for the next fiscal year.
Every available resource of the
Government will be employed for pro-
hibition enforcement. The recon.
mendations which I propose to make
to the Congress are for the purpose
of increasing this available force
Such reinforcement Is needed. It
should be provided"
AS 1t Is known that the Bureau of
the Budget is now considering items
to be included in the deficiency bill. 1t
was predicted in some quarters that
the administration may send some
recommendation on airplanes through
this bill to Congress.
One seaplane now used by the Coast
Guard Is being piloted by Lieut..
Comdr. G. c. Won Paulsen. who has
flown 1t over practically the entire
field Of operations of the North
Atlantic rum fleet, with much success.
The Coast Guard already has au-
thority for the establishment of 10
aviation stations, under an old law
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