New Britain herald., 1925-10-13
DenounCeS as ''UnsOund" Pro- posed Department of National
 DefenSe--D Accusations
INSISTS THAT AIR FORGE
 ALONE CANNOT. WIN WARS

Patrick and Others Arc Andyze,l
 and Thc2 Brandcd as Eundamep-
 tally unsound.
 Washington, Oct. 1S Pl-Tbe army general staff presented to the presidents air board today n state ment in rebuttal 10 witnesses who have urged sweeping changes of the national defense organization.
 It denounced as ''uasound" tho proposed department of national de- fense, asserted that "direct adminis- tration and control' Of the army air service actually does best ''in the hands Of the chief of the air serv- ice." and presented Il general de- nial Of charges Of mismnnagement In the administration of the air serv- |. ice itself
 Has Studied Problems.
 Presented by Brigadler General Hugh A. Drum, assistant chief Of staff. the statement. covering fifty one typewriter pages, was prefaced with the remark that tho war de- partment has considered with pain. stalking thoroughness and care the various propositions. .and views pre- sented to tho board"
 "The main proposals" 1t added have been studied in ono form or another before, during and since thn World war. Consequently the war department has crvstallized It's views on air service organization into sane. definite, and well thought-out poll Cies. These views were coucurred In by the chief of air service, Major General Mason M. Patrick"
 tThe ''wcre" In the last sentence of the above quoted paragraph was underscored in the official text of the statemenD.
 The statement presented by Gen eral Drum then discussed "funda- mental principles of war depart ment policies" and presented de- tailed analysis Of the proposed de- partment Of national defense as ad- vocated In recent testimony by Gen eral Patrick, Colonel William Mitchell, and several other wit nesses.
 Ideas Arc UnSound
 'lt Is believed" General Drum testified, that the Ideas expressed by the chief Of the air service are Fundamentally unsound xxx in his conception of new national de- fcnse doctrine whereby the theater Of operations along our frontier is to be divided Into three theaters of action, sea, air and land, each with q separate commander responsible for national defense in his rcspec- tive theater."
 The general staff also was said to view as "unsound'" tho proposal for separate air corps within the army, urged by General Patrick as a step looking to creation Of the defense department.
 Asserting that lair units arc es- sential to any army and must be an integral part thereof" Genera Drum added that ''wc must not be blinded to the sacrifices of the American doughboy."
 Man Always Supreme
 "The pranee of horses" he con. tinued. the boonls Of cannon and the whirl Of airpIane prcpeners can- not replace the dogGed determina- tion. the will to win of the Ameri- can infantryman. The mechanical device can never replace the men al, moral and physical qualities CT man."
 Discussing the balanced army" tho general declared every branch of the army desires additional funds for efficient preparation for war"
 More Funds Needed
 The air service is no worse of. he added, than the infantry. caval- " and other branches of the army in matters relating to promotion. housing, ration allowances and lack of funds with which to purchase ma terial.
 General Patrick claims that the war department has not realized the full importance Of the air arm and regards Its air servlcos as q ,step- child The air service in the United States regular army is given greater relative strength than in the military peace organization of any other country of military impof-