Evening star., 1925-09-29

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aviation consists Of The DH-4 airplan mes
with the Liberty engines designed
during the war. which are neither
hsh. flesh nor fowl. as they are neith-
er attack. bomba rdsnen,. pursuit nor
observation planes. They are danger
ous. they are inca pa BILE Of performing
any functions OF modern air force.
our pilots. the best In the world. real
ly amount TO not over 450 Of all cate
sories who can really go out and fight
service airplanes.
The reserves are myth. They
are growing old. We have no corps
OF observers. Is or 20 being carried on
the roll. We have no rated machine
sunners. Our so-called mecha mics are
recruited according TO the Army sys-
tenn.
Col. Mitchell said the nation has
slipped so low in every department
of our aerona utical endeavor that
were war cloud to appear on the
horizon tomorrow with any hrst
class power of either Europe or Asia.
the gathering storm might break
without any hindrance from us and
1t might take from three to Ave years
before we could organize TO meet it.
Declaring the United States has rend-
cred itself dependent on European or
Asiatic countries for protection, Col.
Mitchell said.
What IL the fundamental reason
that this has come to pass? 1t IL
that air matters are intrusted to the
Army and Navy, which are handled
and governed and domina ed by non
flying officers. They not only know
next to nothing about avistion. but
regard it merely as an auxiliary Of
hAt ix-ff&- nd
main force In the nations military
equipment. Their testimony regard
ing Air matters is almost worthless.
sometimes more serious than this"
Defense by Aircraft.
Col. Mitchell reiterated his stand
for defense Of the Atlantic and Pa
tack from European or AAiatfc powers.
He told the board Great Britain
could land 1000 airplanee In the Gulf
OF st. Lawrence and have them In
operation against a vital area OF this
country which forms a triangle be
tween Bangor. Me: Chicago and the
Chesapeake Bay. He also pointed to
the lack Of defense plans in Alaska.
where he said Japan would enter the
United States. Alaska is the key po-
sition and not the Hawaiian Islands.
he explained, but the latter should be
defended with aircraft because they
ton to commerce.
Sarcastic In Comment.
The colonefs statement was pune
tuated with caustic and sarcastic
statements throughout. He declared
where air matters are handled for the
Unised States they must be handled
by air men who know their business
and who should define air matters for
the executives and for Congress
whenever they are touched upon I'm
stead OF having admirals and generals
selected on the principle OF Tag,
you're 1t. Go and talk to Congress-
about aviation and primed from a lot
of hoary data culled from the dusty
shelves Of the bureaucratic Offices
here in Washington to tell our people
and to stand sponsor for our aeri-
nautical development.
This is the basic trouble with the
whole propositions: The chorus and
understudies attached to these old in
stftut1ons trim their sails to suit the
favoring winds of future advance.
merit In the established systems. No
important new developments and no
future can be hoped for in a system
of this kind
Duty Requires Statement.
We know 1t is our duty to the
country while we yet live to let them
weigh what evidence we have to give
in accordance with its value" Col.
Mitchell declared. Were we to be
remiss in this duty. we would not he
faithful to our oath taken when we
entered the service Of the United
States, that we would defend the Con.
stitution against all enemies, both for
eign and domestic. As far as l am
concerned, there IL absolutely and un-