Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-18

over. ike the inexperienced hunter
at the moose. And a bomber using
this device could pick for his opera
ton any point within 10 or IL miles
OF his target. The aerial torpedo.
guided to its objective from an
airplane or dirigible lowering at a
distance. would probably be more ac-
curate and just as immune to attack
from anti-aircraft artillery.
One is forced to believe therefore,
that the ground-based gun in defense
against aircraft plays the same part
1t did In the late war. 1t posters
them, hampers them tends to keep
them flying high. But 1T is still a
very imperfect means OF protection
Until we discover something entirely
new, the best defense against aircraft
attack is other aircraft.
Those like Gen. Mitchell, who want
united and Independent air force,
maintain that in another war II 1t
happens-hostilities will begin with a
swiftly-joined general battle in the
air. If one side wins decisive victory
in this engagement 1t Will hold a
tremendous advantage in any subse-
quent land or sea action. THE loser's
eyes Will be put out" He cannot
spot for his own artillery fire nor
spy out the dispositions of his enemy.
Could Not Defend Cities.
OF more Importance, perhaps he can
not defend his cities. Some of Gen.
Mitchelrs critics, in rebuttal, point
again to the experience of the late
European war. Both sides had air
planes; thousands of them. But there
was no great battle in the air. Gen.
Mitchelrs faction replies, first, that
in 1914-191S; most of them were need
ed fn nrk NJ n n
tecting observers; few could be spared
for a strategic reserve"
Further, though, 1t takes the eye
of imagination to perceive IL, there
was one such battle in the air. The
great German offensive of March,
1918, started with Il concerted at
tack on the allied air forces. Not
until our airplanes were pretty
generally driven down did the Ger
mans move. and the blindness OF the
British and French in these circum-
stances was a main reason for Ger
many's alarming success in the first
stages of the attack. This was a
loose and scattered action; military
men had in 1918 paid little attention
to the strategy and major tactics Of
air fighting. Since the armistice.
however. the general STATS of Europe
have given this matter much thought.
II W iISHl an every one " III
know that there has been a battle in
the air.
Aircraft Defense Essential.
Many of the points in Gen. Nit
chelrs thesis are matters of con-
troversy, not to be approved or denied
by any mere civilian. But on three
points he is probably right. First.
city or whole nation cannot be
defended against aircraft except by
other aircraft. Second, in the initial
stages of a war, a thoroughly pre-
pared adversary will move massed
air forces against his enemy's main
city or cities; third, since aircraft at
tack with a speed greater than the
traditional speed of the winds, one
who would defend his homeland
must keep a homogeneous, trained
air force always ready to give the
enemy general battle in the skies
That is. of course, II the world goes
on competing in building aircraft, as
il was competing in building battle
ships before President Harding and
Secretary Hughes put through their
famous conference.
("Aircraft and the Navy" the NTH
article of VIII Twins series on the
aircraft controversy, follows tomor-
row.
Copyright. 1925, in United States, Canada
and Great Britain by North American News
paper Alliance. All rights reserved