Evening star., 1925-03-12
AIR SERVICE FEARS
PASSING Of PATRICK
Army Officers View Silence
on His Reappointment as
Indicating Change.

The Army Air Service, which has
just emerged from a period of fever
ish excitement due to the recent air
craft controversy. today finds itself
in another state of anxiety # equal
proportions over the possibility of
losing Maj. Gen. Mason NJ. Patrick as
its chief and the substitution of a
major general for the air service lead
ership who has not the sympathy or
the interest which the present chief
has exhibited from his first day in office
Gen. Patrick's term as chief of the
Army Air Service expires October
of this year, and to date no mention
has been made as to who his success
sor Will be If it is not to be himself.
The Senate is in special session, and
has been confirming military and
naval nominatio for the past sew
eral days, and inasmuch as Rear Ad-
miral William A. Moffett, chief of the
Bureau of Aeronautics, has just been
nominated for reappointment, even
though his present tour of duty ex-
pires in July, the air service is be-
ginning to think something should be
said or done about Gen. Patrick.
Gen. Patrick 81 Years Old.
The general was 81 years old last
December, and in three more years
will be forced to retire under the law.
If some one else is chosen to lead the
Army Air Service he will immediate
ly retire under the 3o-year service
plan, and with the rank of major
general.
The Air Service officers do not want
to lose Gen. Patrick, because they
cannot at present see a man who
could carry on from the place he
leaves off. Gen. Patrick has been an
lair" man even before he assumed
office four years ago, he having been
in charge of military aviation or the
staff of Gen. Pershing in France.
When he came to the Office of chief
of Air Service he needed no "educa-
tion" from the viewpoint of his sub
ordinates, but the general thought
he did Almost from the first day he
travelled everywhere by air as q pas
senger in Army planes. Then he de-
cided he would not be a thoroughly
efficient chief unless he learned to
fly himself. At the age of SO he be
gan instruction at Boiling Field, and
the day he qualified as a pilot, by
going through the usual examination
given a young man, andTeceiVed his
wings he cemented a bond between
hlmSel1 anu The Q thoe
is destined to remain steadfast for
ever.
Believe Patrick Essential.
While the Air Service knows that
If Gen Patrick is reappointed and
confirmed by the present session of
the Senate or that he might be given
a recess appointment, they also know
that they will lose him in the end. for
in about three years he Will have to
retire. The present condition of the
Air Service-standing by for deci-
sion from Congress as to its place of
Importance in the national defense
and probability of expansion and de-
velopment to great stages-is de-
clared such that only man familiar
with the "air game" as long as Gen.
Patrick has been could hold the Air
Service together.
Gen. Patrick's administration, as Tar
as can be seen, has been such as TO
warrant his continuance, according to
some officers who recall that he did not
engage in the aircraft controversy when
his assistant chief, Brig. Gen. Will
liam Mitchell, was taking aviation to
Congress and the people, and has not
incurred the dislike of the general
staff or the Secretary of War.