Evening star., 1925-09-14

'ultures swooping on their prey once
it is down.
The most disturbing factor in the
situation is the example Of military
officers in the employ of the Govern
ment making a political appeal over
The heads of Congress TO the people.
This might be the opening wedge for
military dictatorship In the United
States. If personal political appeals
Of military demagogues are TO go un-
needed. it bodies i'll for the future of
this republic.
Denies Races Framed"
Equally astonishing is the fact
that charges have been preferred by
persons who have. responsibility for
the shortcomings which they allege
to exist. 1t has been charged that
Lieut.. Pearson and Capt. Skeel were
killed in dilapidated racing planes at
the last racing meet. If these planes
were dilapidated 1t was the duty of
high ranking Army aviator who was
present at the meet to exercise his
authority and prohibit their use. This
was not done. Responsibility lies
with this man and he cannot evade
it by trying to shift the responsibility
to the system.
1t has been charged that an ar
rangement existed between the Army
and the Navy that the Navy should
take the races one year and the Army
should take them the next year, there
by creating propagan nda and not serv-
ice. This statement is utterly and un'
qualifiedly false. 1t is ridiculous on its
face, but is at the same time charac-
teristic of the other charges.
THE Army and Navy have been
charged with making propaganda and
seeking publicity by the very persons
who are past masters of this. 1t is
the business of the Army and Navy to
keep the public informed of their ac-
tivities. The public is entitled to know
what its armed forces are doing, but
the Army and Navy have not stopped
to low sentimentalism or falsehoods.
Blames Cyclone for Wreck.
1T has been charged that the Shen-
andcah was going West on a propa-
ganda mission to offset the adverse
publicity caused by the failures in the
Pacific and the Arctic. This flight was
planned for last Summer in response to
numerous requests of the people of the
United States for an opportunity to
see the ship. The trip was postponed
at the request of Capt. Lansdowne ana
the final plans were in accord with
his wishes.
THE Shenandoah had demonstrated
that she was perfectly capable of han
ding herself in ordinary thunder
storms. She was the victim of a cy-
clone which no man or material could
resist. The devastation wrought by
cyclones on land is evidence of this.
The change in her valves had nothing
to do with the accident. Capt. Lans-
downe is dead and cannot answer
these accusations, but those of US who
are left will do so with all the energy
at our command
1T has been charged that the
Hawaiian fight was arranged to
get publicity. This charge. like the
others, is absolutely false. This flight
was planned to test the ability of the
latest design of flying boat to operate
at great distances over the sea with
out support of the feet. The strategic
Importance of linking San Francisco
by air with the key of the Pacific Is
apparent to any one.
Flight Followed Test.
Surface vessels were stationed as
safety precaution in case of emer-
gency, but the planes were to do their
own navigating, using the surface YES
sells as safety check. Had the fight
personnel not been confident as a re-
suit of previous actual tests. that they
would reasonably expect to complete
the flight, 1t would have been
poned, exactly as the project was
poined last year when airplanes
for the purpose were found to lack me
range. Comdr. Rodgers, in state
ment, has answered these charges in
no uncertain terms.
The question has been asked VIII,
the destroyers did not steam at full
speed in the direction the planes were
going. The answer is. they did 1t
has been asked why five men were
used instead of two. The answer is
that Comdr. Rodgers knew they were
necessary to safety on a long flight
over the sea. 1t has been asked WHY
arrangements were not made to gas
planes in the air. The answer is. this
is not stunt flight.
1T was not expected that additional
gas would be required, but as a safety
precaution station ships had supplies
of gas and oil and the crews had
been trained in gassing at sea from
surface vessels. The PN-9 has amply
proved her airworthiness and sea
worthiness. She represents a ire
mendous advance in aviation and her
performance has justified her build
erS.
Cites British Disaster.
False accusers of the Army and
Navy blame these accidents on the
system and advocate a separate air
force as a cure-all. The separate air
force in Great Britain did not save
the R-28. The French system did
not save the Dixmude, nor the FIVE
French flyers who were lost at sea
a few days ago.
ANY system Loyalty administered
will succeed. The best system dis
rupted by disloyalty will fail. The
most cheering part of the outcome of
the flight is the striking example of
loyalty and soundness of judgment on
the part of Comdr. John Rodgers.
1T has been charged that the acci.
dents to the Shenandoah and the
PMS were the direct result of in
competency, criminal negligence and
almost reasonable administration of
the national defense by the Navy and
War Departments. Such a charge is
absurd in it's very extravaganza.
THE most charitable way to regard
these charges is that their author is
Of unsound mind and Is suffering from
delusions of grandeur"
Invalid and old-age pensions in Aus
tralia are to be creased.
TIED GINGER