Evening star., 1925-02-03

the comparatively short overocean
route selected the services of SO naval
ships were required. In the agEre-
gate they had to steam more than
300, 900 miles and to burn up 100000
gallons of fuel oil. From these ships
planes had to fly hundreds of miles
exploring the icebound coast of Green
land to find q harbor in which the
world flyers could land. 1t has been
published that the whole world flight
cost the Army Air Service about
$1S0,000. The Navy spent more than
100000 in fuel alone, not counting
any other item This seems to illus
trate that for ocean work the two are
inseparable.
Capt Dudley Knox, U. s. N, attack
ing Gen. MitcheHs statements, lik-
ened them to a statement of Abraham
Lincoln, when he said: "A cunning
arrangement of words to prove that a
horsechestnut Is a chestnut horse"
BnsIs of Argument.
"One of Gen. MitchelTs fundamen-
tai assumptions in his efforts to prove
that navies are rapidly going out of
date" said Capt. Knox, rs that mod
ern battleships can be easily sunk in
few minutes by aerial bombs. He
bases this assumption largely upon
the sinking of the eX-German battle
ship Ostfriesland by bombing. Gen.
Mitchelrs implication that the Ost
friesland was of modern design or
construction is very far from accurate
facts.
IN defending outlying territories
aviation will hereafter play an i'm
portant part, in combination with
many other forms of fighting power.
But even the aviation part, considered
alone, will require great quantities
of heavy stores which cannot be
transported except by cargo ships
TO give some idea of weights in
volved, the Independent air force
which the general is now asking Con-
gress to provide would consume some
5000 tons of fuel bombs and other
stores during every day of active
operation. This is on the basis of an
average of four hours flying each
day. Gen. Mitchell has made the
ridiculous proposal that his supplies
will be transported by air. Think OF
it, 5000 tons per day! The largest
airship, the Los Angeles, cannot carry
more than 20 tons of cargo"
Shortcomings of Alrships.
Admiral Hilary p. Jones, chief of
the Navy general board, discussed the
proposal at great length today and
ments of Gen. Mitchell are absolutely
against the law of physics, which, of
course, no one can overcome. Sum
ming up some of his points, Admiral
Jones said:
The airplane (heavier-than-a air) is
inherently limited in performance by
physical laws.
THE airship Qighter-than-air) has
some valuable characteristics. but. due
- ,,,,I- l
value in war.
Aircraft cannot operate from ter
ritory that is not controlled by the
military or naval forces of their own
country.
"Airplanes cannot occupy territory
nor can they exercise control of the
sea.
"Airplanes cannot reach distant
| oversee areas under their own power
with any effective military force, and
therefore cannot operate there of
fehsively or defensively until sup
piled with weapons and fuel.
"Airplanes cannot fulfill the func-
tions of the service of supply for
themselves or for other forces in dis
tant overseas areas"
Stand of Scientists.
Admiral Jones. speaking on the
proposed united air service, said:
1T would seem illogical to elevate
to the dignity Of separate depart
| ment Of the Government. with it's one
! cabinet officer anG all the enormous
departmental overhead that would in
evitably follow, an activity so inher-
emily limited in commercial and mil
| itary transportation capacity.
Practically the unanimous opinion
| of all the higher officers of the Army,
the members of the national advisory
committee for aeronautics, composed
OF many eminent scientists who have
| made a close and exhaustive study
of aviation and all of it's problems,
| and many members of the National
| Aeronautic Association is that sep
arate department of aeronautics
would be undesirable and unneces-
sary, not only from the standpoint of
national defense, but from the stand
point of further development of avia-
| ton.
From the standpoint of economy,
| even a casual study of the subject
| must demonstrate beyond a shadow of
| a doubt that the creation of a sep
arate air force will enormously in
| crease the burden OF the taxpayer
| The transfer, as propos cd, to a de-
partment of aeronautics of all types
Of aircraft. and of any other means OF
| transportation. including ships, YES
| sells, boats and automobiles or other
| motor vehicles now in use or on hand,
| all lands, docks, wharves and all
other property heretofore used by the
Navy Department and all other de-
partments in connection with aircraft
would merely build up another Navy
| in the department of aeronautics
the transfer to a department of aero
! nautics of all anti-aircraft artillery
now mounted in the national defense
scheme merely builds up within the
| department Of aeronautics another
artillery corps and does not diminish
the need for anti-aircraft artillery by
the Army or Navy. In other words,
there would be duplication on an
enormous scale all along the line, and
duplication necessarily spells addi-
| tional cost"