The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-09-12
Keep Your Goggles On!

|HE cloud of dust and debris filling the
Il air as the Mitchell tornado sweeps the
country bids fair to blind the public to the
real needs of our national defense.
These needs are simple enough, if we will
only stop to think A small, but efficient army,
capable of rapid expansion navy equal to the
best with proper bases, and an air force as mod
erf as they make EN-
Such is the British idea and, subject to
Washington treaty and geographical require
ment that of Japan France and Italy also.
But while these constitute our vital needs,
Colonel Mitchell with dazzling gesture that
instantly challenges nationwide attention,
gives the country the impression that the al
service is the only thing that counts.
In his enthusiasm Colonel Mitchell throws
mere facts to the wind He completely forgets
that we are not the only country that has sui
fered recent aircraft disasters and reverses;
The wreck of the British ZR-2, with terrible
loss of life over England the destruction, with
all on board of the French Zeppelin over the
Mediterranean, and so on. And just the other
day, despite the support of a fleet of $50 planes,
tire French and Spanish were defeated at Al
hucemas, Morocco-with a loss of 500 dead
by a small band Of Rifians who did not boast a
single plane.
In the same vein Colonel Mitchell declares
the Hawaiian Islands are unimportant to our
national defense. Expert opinion the world
over, in Europe as well as in the United States,
holds to the contrary, namely that the Ha-
waiians are the key to the Pacific, so far, at
least as this country is concerned.
~ The casual reader, the man in the street,
cannot fail to get the impression that we are
throwing money away when we spend it on
our Navy and naval bases like that at Pearl
Harbor He would never dream that Britain
has lust appropriated $283000000 worth of
new cruisers and is now planning to spend some
$60000,000 more making Singapore a great
naval base-not air port-for the defense Of
Australasia precisely as we plan Hawaii to
defend us.
Thus it is absolutely necessary to air the
whole question Whatever the War Depart
ment may or may not do to Colonel Mitchell
by way of disciplining him, the real issue can
be settled in only one way. The President
must authorize a commission of outside ex-
perts-engineers and men Of science above all
suspicion of entertaining bias, political or per-
sonal-and have that commission probe to the
very bottom of the whole subject
"NIitchell is incidental compared to the
issues he has raised" declared Representative
Lampert, chairman of the House special air
craft committee He is right Nothing short
Of a complete investigation will now satisfy
public opinion. Nothing less will amend the
shattered morale of the armed service every
where in evidence.
The real facts can easily be had If our air
service is hog-tied and ham-strung by bureau
cratic lunkheads as charged, a comparison with
what the leading foreign powers are doing will
quickly prove it.
Meantime let's don't allow ourselves to
be blinded to the real facts in the case by past
and coming dust storms in the shape of charges
and counter charges.
Let's try to see the truth. Let's keep our
eommon-sense goggles on.