Evening star., 1925-09-13

Continued from First Page)
The War Department is endeavor
ing to develop this anti-aircraft de-
fense against airplanes and the air
men, from lessons learned in the war,
pronounce 1t useless. In addition,
the Department has taken a decided
stand against a united air force. 1t
cannot acquiesce in any proposal
which contemplates making the Army
Air Service anything other than per-
manent and integral part of the Army,
the same as is the Field Artillery, In
fantry, Coast Artillery and other COM
batant arms. Unity of command is
necessity, it is contended. and to have
the Army, Navy and air force all act
ing independently would end only in
disaster in time of war. The Depart
ment adds it should not be tolerated in
time of peace.
Faith in the Airplane.
II the two departments had as much
faith in the airplane as the aviators
themselves. they would be in favor of
a unified air service and other expan-
sion of aeronautic activities. And
until they can come around to the
way of thinking of the airmen, argu-
ments on various phases of the ques-
ton are useless. The War and Navy
Departments cannot be convinced that
Mitchell's program is correct when his
airplane has failed to convince them
Of all the things he claims for it.
The airmen regard themselves as a
superior type Of fighting arm. They
are characterized by Col Mitchell as
| the greatest individual fighters the
world ever has seen. They do not
fight in mass or in a body, but each
man, he claims, is solely responsible
and held to an accounting for his
deeds Superior manhood also enters
into the airman's qualifications, the
Colonel ayers. A higher type physic-
ally and psychologically is required and
he repeatedly cites the example that
a very small percentage of applicants
for West Point are fit for the Air
Service duty.
With the Navy now, however, the
addition of a course in aeronautics has
raised the physical entrance require
ment and from this year on, Col
Mitchell cannot include Naval Acad-
emy entrants in his list. Each en-
trant is examined as though he were
| to be taken into primary training at
Pensacola, Fla.
Better Pilots Being Produced.
The training given the Army and
Navy aviators also. is in advance Of
any other instruction Of the present
day. Applicants for the flying serv-
ice are required to go through the
most rigid mental and physical eXami-
| nations and the greatest grind comes
in the advanced training. By the
present system, the young man who
emerges from the schools wearing an
Ensign's stripe or a second lieuten-
ants bars. Is a better pilot than the
war ever produced.
Advancement and promotion sys-
TENS of the two services are thorns in
| the side of the airmen. Because their
duties differ entirely from other
branches and because their death rate
is higher; they feel they are entitled
to greater reward. Young officers of
| the Army and Navy now, according to
| Mitchell. are performing duties SINH
| lar to those held down by Admirals
and Generals in other arms.
What Mitchell Advocates.
Col. Mitchell, in his latest publica-
| ton, Winged Defense" outlines what
| the air defense Of the United States
should be at the present time as fol-
lows:
Within the continental limits of the
| United States there should be an Of
| fensive air force Of one air division of
| 1900 planes to be operated as a unit,
and two separate brigades, one along
the Atlantic coast and one along the
Pacific coast, of 500 airplanes each.
The force should consist of two-thirds
pursuit and one-third bombardment
Included in the bombardment avia-
! tion should be some attack aviation.
| IL this continues to be an element in
our organization).
| There should be local defense unit
| OF 100 planes and accessories to de.
| fend the City of New York to be used
as model on which defense against