The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-10-02
AVIATION
BUDGET URGED
BY RODGERS
Hawaiian Flight Hero OPP
poses United Air Force
or Air Corps
REVISION NECESSARY
Navy Department Not to
Blame For Air Flight
Failures
REVISION NECESSARY

Taking direct issue with Col.
VIM. Mitchelrs charges. COM
mander John Rodgers. a witness
today before the presidents air
board. issued u challenge to any
one to make "a Just Criticism
Of the arrangements for the iIa-
waiian flight Of the PN-9. No. !.
Col. Mitchell previously had
told the board the preparations
for the flight. which was COM
manded by Rodgers. looked like
the work Of "bungling amateurs.
without mentioning Mitchell
by name. Rodgers declared the
navy adopted the proper tactics
and that he was fully satisfied"
with the crew and personnel as
signed to the flight.
Il cannot See" Rodgers con-
tinucd. 'how the navy depart
mcnt could be held responsible
for the failure Of the flight.
Everything was done that could
be done. The secretary Of the
navy personally visited San Di-
ego and ordered the Bureau Of
AcrOnautics to give us every
thing that we asked for.
This was DONE
Rodgers said he was given author
ity to arrange the flight plans, which
statement flutly contradictcd Nit,
chcll's charge that preparations were
by "non-flying" officers.
$50 far as the navy department was
Rodgers continued. II,
went the limit in providing all tha,
was DESIRED
Rodgers was asked if this ratior
could be attacked by a foreign powcI
with airplanes capable of crossing
either ocean with 1000 pound bombs
"No," he answered, "and unless som,
new engine is developed it is not pos
sible that this will ever be true.
This all differed from the ideas o.
Col. Mitchell.
Washington, Oct. 2.-R) Com
mander John Rodgers, hero Of tht
thrilling adventures Of the PN-9, No
!, told the presidents aircraft boarl
today that development of the air
plane had made necessary the es
tablishment Of Il department Of ma
tional defense which would includ.
both the army and the navy.
Along this line Commander Rodg
ers agreed in part with the ideas oi
Col. VIM. Mitchell, who figured
largely in the controversy VIII Sch
brought the appointment Of the in
vestigating board.
Need Is Apparent
The need for a proper scientifi,
organization Of the national defense
Commander Rodgers said, was plain
ly apparent. Declaring recent nava
disasters were not due to any blam,
on the part of the navy, he declared
"There is something vitally wrong
with the navy department"
The commander of the Hawai-
flight, however. oppovcd either Il
united air force or an air corps sucl
as have been urged by various wit
ncsses before the board, declaring
the problem engaging the study o.
TALLY a revision Of present organiza
tions. So far US aviation itself il
concerned as an interior problem, h,
believed the question might be salts
factorily solved for the moment b,
proper establishment Of an aviation
budget, by improvement Of personne
situation, and by establishment O.
n strong aviation section in opera
tions."
Take Over Army and Navy
"For permanent and final solu
tion," he added. "appoint the strong
est man attainable as secretary O
the national defense, give him a goot
staff, let him work out the organi
Zation required, and when ready
take over both the army and navy
OF the Hawaiian flight, he said h,
could not see how any possible
stretch Of the imagination" could at
tach any blame to the navy depart
mcnt because the flight did not worl
out as planned. OF the Shenandoah
disaster, he said, 81 cannot see hov
the navy department can, in any way
be responsible for the fact that
good airship, we'll manned and cap
tained, goes out on cruise, meet
heavy weather and is lost" Thi
testimony was in direct contrast t.
that of Col. VIM. Mitchell, who at
tributed the failures to "bungline."