Evening star., 1925-02-15
Probers to Study Vulnerability
OF u. S. in Case of Aerial attack


feet below the water. A direct hit
of a. 2,00o-pound bomb on the deck
of a hattleship could not. in the ad-
mirals opinion. sink a modern battle-
ship. but If it penetrated the deck
before it exploded or fell along side
and exploded 60 feet under the water
it would be extremely effective" he
said
Admiral Shoemaker cited the re-
suits of the bombing of the British
warship Agamemnon. which was
steaming zig-zag course. The per-
centage of efficiency ranged from 21a
to I per cent. he said, and the con-
clusion was that 60 airplanes from
two carriers would have to be en-
ployed against similar ships under
steam and maneuvering.
Anti-aircraft fire from battleships
unsupported by airplanes, will not
prevent bombing planes from doing
serious damage, Admiral Shoemake er
said. although he expressed more
confidence in the efficiency of the
present anti-aircraft guns of today
than those used during the war.
Discusses Bomb Values
The witness discussed the advan-
tage of an armor-piercing shell over
the ship, while the latter, he said,
breaks up on the deck and explodes
outward. He admitted, however,
that the speed Of aerial bombs when
dropped from a high altitude was
greater than the velocity of a pro-
jectile from a gun.
The admiral did not advocate the
establishment of a separate air CORPS
in the Navy, Of which several junior
officers had spoken favorably before
the committee in the last few days
He argued that it is the Navys duty
to direct and develop the new weapon
or warfare and compared aviation to
submarines. The duties of a sub
marine officer. he said, are quite as
complicated as an Air Service officer.
Representative Prall of New York
then brought Admiral Shoemake er
into a discussion Of flying pay for
nom pilots in the Navy Admiral
Shoemaker declared the law provides
a certain percentage of non-pilots de-
tailed to aeronautics must have a
certain amount of experience in the
air and are, therefore, paid for the
hazards they take. He said he hoped
the future would see the bureau com
posed entirely Of qualified aviators
and that the number now receiving
flying pay, although not pilots. would
not increase.
Defines Term "Pilot.,
Prior to the admirars testimony.
Lieut.. B. H. Holcombe of the Rureau
OF Aeronautics discussed the flight
pay for non-pilots. The committee
was informed Friday that there are
number of officers who receive
flight pay that they don't rate" by
Lieut.. Z. A. Sprague, executive officer
OF the Naval Air Station at Anacos-
tia, d. c.. Lieut.. Sprague's statement
was brought out in questioning.
Lieut.. Hoicombe said it was generally
understood that the term flyer" did
not necessarily mean one had to be a
pilot. Lieut.. Sprague had testified
that on-fying" officers were receiv-
ing hight pay when they did not
know now to pilot a plane
Lieut.. Holcombe quoted LEGISLATION
creating the Bureau of Aeronautics
Whlch said that officers detailed with
the bureau shall fly" which there
fore, he said, entitled them to the
oO per cent increase in pay. He said
tnere were only Is non-pilots receiv-
ing night pay in the service and sub
miteeo the names of the officers, of
Wnom the following are on duty in
~oAA' 1NCdl
A. Moffett, chief of the Bureau of
Aeronautics; Capt. Emory S. Land.
Comdr. w. w. Webster, Lieut.. r. s.
Barneby and Lieut.. T. T. Patterson.
Other Witnesses Heard.
The committee also heard Mai. Carl
Spatz Maj. Thomas Milling and Lieut..
Charles Austin, all of Langley Field.
va, and Lieut.. Frank CD. Hunter.
who had flown here from Detroit in two
hours and fifty-six minutes to testify.
They all favored the establish
ment Of united air force. Mai.
Milling, who was on the stand
when the committee adjourned. was
requested to appear at 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning and continue his
testimony, In which the committee
evidenced much interest. Mai. Milling.
who has been flying for IA years and
is one of the oldest flyers in the Air
Service, testified in refutation of
Admiral Shoemakers statements about
the effectiveness of aerial bombs
against the zig-zagging Agamemnon,
that Army pilots at Langley Field had
been 35 per cent effective against the
shadow on the ground of an airship
capable of flying at greater speed
than battleship and of maneuverins
better.
Brig. Gen. Amos A. Fries of the
Chemical Warfare Service also is
scheduled to appear tomorrow.