Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-09-28
Army Red Tape flinders
Service, Air PyObeys Told
Officers Appeal for De
partment Operated
By Flyers

WASHINGTON, Sep. 28.-Resuming
its iquiry into the aircraft problem to-
day the presidents special board was
told at the outset that army red tape
hinders the work of the army air ser
vice and that operation of the service
should be entrusted to flying men.
Major Walter G.. Kilner, executive or
ficer of the air service, was the f.tst
witness and he declared difficulties
confronting the service were not ones
of personalities but of organization.
The chief of the air service, he hell,
should at all times be enpoworcd to
direct the activities Of his men.
Reading a long list of army aviators
to be heard, including Col. William
Mitchell. who is fighting for a unified
air service Major Kilner declared, at
the beginning that he favored sepa-
rate air corps in the army such as that
favored bv Major General Patrick, chief
Of the service.
SAYS, Officers Dissatisfied.
"Have you any constructive sugges-
tions?" continued Senator Bingham.
'Yes, turn the air service over to
the flyers themselves.
Major Kilner then read a prepared
statement setting forth the functions
of the air service in warfare, in which
he declared that pursuit and lombard
ment presented an "air problem that
only airmen can develop"
The witness said he understood Gen.
Patrick was preparing a statement set
ting forth his position and that he be
lieves this would express his views bet
ter than he could.
''Do you know of any dissatisfaction
among officers?'' he was asked.
'.Yes," replied Kilner.
The slowness of action on aircraft
matters, he said, tand the apparen
lack of comprehension Of air prob
lens are the chief cause Of dissatis-
faction among the air personnel
AS an example of 'hindrance in the
present air organization, Kilner said
it required the army air service one
year and six days to get funds for the
world flight. Three weeks. he said
were spent in getting permission to
send squadron of airplanes from Self
ridge Field, Michigan to Miami, Fla.
Planes Not Inspected.
Senator Bingham of Connecticut, ask
ed if the problem was material or per-
sonel."
Personnel" the witness answered,
adding ''our planes are good and we
have the best pursuits planes in the
world"
Major Ralph Royce in charge Of the
primary school at Brooks Field, San
Antonio, Texas, the second witness also
declared that the lack of higher rank
ing officers caused much dissatisfac-
tion in the air service, emphasizing that
the junior officers could not carry suf-
ficient weight in presenting air mat
ters to superiors.
Major Royce said that out of one
class of 400 West Point cadets less
than eighty passed the air service ply
sical examination.
In reply to question, he said liv-
ing conditions at Brooks Field training
school were deplorable.
"We are doing 1925 work with a 1917
establishment" he aided.
A"The year before last" he said, 81
was inspected by IL generals, not one
of whom looked at single plane or
my field"
"What were they interested in?'
asked Senator Bingham.
Clothing and barracks. They took
my word on equipment"
Major Horace NJ, Hickman, former
assistant commandant Of the advance
flying school at Kelly Field, Texas
followed Royce, endorsing General Pat,
rick's recommendations for a separate
air corps, but he added the servict
"will never get anywhere until we have
department of national defense" Col
Mitchell advocated this plan.