Evening star., 1925-09-22
WILBUR FLAyS IDEA
Of ONE AIR FORCE
AT PROBE SESSION
Raps Young, inexperienced
Flyers Who Are Favoring
Unified Service.
PERSONAL GREED BLAMED
FOR POPULARITY OF VIEW
Marine Corps" Plan Is Based or
Utter Fallacy," Navy Chief
Says at Inquiry.

The Navy presented a solid front
for continuation of its Air Se.S Sice in
its present form. when the aviation
board of inquiry resumed its hearings
today. From Secretary Wilbur and
Rear Admiral Eberle, the chief of
operations, came the warning that a
radical change now would constitute
"a well nigh irreparable mistake"
1t was the Navy's day before the
Presidents investigating body and
hour after hour its ranking officers
poured into the minds of the commit
tee high technical statements and i'm
posing arrays of figures in support of
its demand that the Naval Air Service
be maintained as IAN essential part of
the fabric of the Navy ITSELF
Air Force Integral Part.
THE effect of the batteries of our
ships will be almost wholly lost with
out the assistance of our air force to
fire effective on the gun range of the
battle of tomorrow" Secretary VIII.
bur declared. The air force is an in
tegral part of the very fabric of the
Navy itself. 1t cannot be forced into
a separate corps.
ANY attempt to do this would con-
sist in amputating from the Navy
part of its very being. The argument
advanced by so many young and in
experienced naval aviators that they
desire a separate air corps analogous
to the Marine Corps is based on utter
fallacy and complete misunderstand-
ing
Time and again Mr. Wilbur referred
to those of the naval Air Service who
would like to see it become one with
the Army Air Service as "inexperi-
enced young men," He even accused
them of being persuaded to their views
by ideas of personal greed, Of wishing
to make the Navy impotent that they
personally might win higher promo
tion and increased pay.
Limitations of Planes.
THE higher officers of the Navy"
Mr.. Wilbur added, understand the
limitations of aviation. These enthusi-
astic flying officers cannot possibly
understand these limitations" Then
reading from the report of the special
naval board of inquiry, which went
into the entire question of the eff
cheney of the battleships, submarines
and airplanes. he added, with delib
crate empha sis:
Flying officers must be naval Off
GERS first"'
Secretary Wilbur introduced to the
board the officers he had brought to
the hearing with him to present fur
ther testimony. First among these
was Rear Admiral Eberle, then Rear
Admiral Straus, Rear Admiral Moffett.
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics;
Rear Admiral Hughes, Maj. Gen. Le-
jeune, commandant of the Marine
Corps, and Capt. A. w. John
SON, who is soon to be relieved as
assistant chief of the Bureau of Aero
hautics by Comdr. John A. Rodgers.
II am sorry, too, that my Marine
Corps aid. Maj. Brainerd, is not here. !"
Secretary Wilbur concluded. He
spent 10 hours adrift in the Gulf
Stream IN an airplane once, and he
knows something about the relation
between air and water" The specta-
tors laughed heartily at the correla-
tion and the members of the board
suppressed their laughs into quick
smiles.
Rodgers to Be Called.
Secretary Wilbur disclosed that the
board had requested permission to
hear testimony from Comdr. Rodgers.
He pointed out that the commander of
the recent attempted flight to Hawaii
would not land on the Pacific Coast
until Thursday, that he had an en-
gagement in ST. Louis en- route to
Washington and that he would arrive
lin due course if that was satisfac-
tory to the board.
Dwight w. Morrow, the chairma n,
then informed Mr.. Wilbur that the
board would like to hear from Comdr.
Rodgers by not later than September
80. MIR. Wilbur replied that he would
probably have to Fly" to get here in
such a short space of time, but added
that every effort would be made to
meet the wishes of the committee.
There was much logical speculation
after this brief passage at words.
Conldr. Rodgers, 1t should be remem-
bered, asked permission to remain on
flying duty when he was offered the
post of assistant chief of the Bureau
of Aeronautics. This request was de-
MED. Now there is speculation as to
whether not he might have some
personal ideas as to the administration
of the air services.
Favors Present Policy.
Secretary Wilbur skipped over most
of his written statement, submitting
1t to the board to read at its leisure.
He made few recommendations for
Importance from defensive point of
view. He answered negatively the
Questions as TO what he thought of
the establishment of a unified air serv-
Ice, adoption of the Marine Corps
idea" or the creation of a minister of
defense.
On the question of whether the pres
ent organization should be continued
substantially in It's present form, how
ever, his response was an emphatic
and solemn Yes IF no serious
mistakes are made he explained,
"all defects, real or imaginary, in
aviation in the Navy will be correct
ed But the mistake of establishing
a separate department or corps would
be well.nigh irreparable."
Praises Navy Service.
In this position Admiral Eberle sup
ported Secretary Wilbur without quail
ification Adoption of plans suggest
ed by such men as Col. William Nit
chell. ne said. without mentioning any
names, would bring disaster TO the
national defense interests" 1T is
considered he added. that our Navy
J. has progressed further in aviation
development than any nation OF the
world
THE Naval Air Service goes to