Evening star., 1926-11-21
THE WORLDS WINGS
V-The Yellow Ace


Toxic announce the fact that the navy is al
ready on the way toward definite limitation
in building programs, to the end that these
additions to Japanese naval aviation may be
more quickly carried out.
1t is known that the Japanese navy, at
present, has liz squadrons, composed of bal
looms. dirigibles, observation, bombing and
lighting planes with a numerical strength
of 500 which is rapidly being doubled as
fast as accretions can be added through pur
chases abroad and production at home. With
the addition of aircraft carriers now being
built and their complement of planes, Japans
naval air strength will approximate $500
units.
From a prominent War Department official
at Washington comes the announcement that
Japan recently placed with France an order
for the construction of 5000 airplane engines.
combat and bombing planes and 1000 for
training planes!
Commercial aviation is not one whit behind.
Mr.. Hatano. subchief of the air board, de-
partment of communication, advocates ap
preparations Of $25oO,OoO from the imperial
treasury to finance projects Of air mail, fish
exploration, crop spraying and forest preser-
vation.
Very ambitious plans are being formulated
by S. Asano, prominent Toxic business man.
for financing q $5,000,000 aerial project for
passenger and freight transportation service
throughout Japan and for which the COM
b1ned aviation departments of the army and
navy are pressing ins.stent demands for sub
stantial subsidy appro ouriations from the Diet.
Civil aviation in JAPAN Is under the super
vision Of the civil aviation bureau of the de-
partment Of communications which is work.
ing in closest cooperation with the military
and naval services, the latter functioning in
the training Of pilots for the use of civil de-
partments and commercial service. More
over, the civil aviation bureau Of the depart
nent of communications is projecting seven
year program calling for the expenditure Of
$25.0O0OOO which includes the establishment
of five air routes linking Japan to Korea,
Alaska the Siberian littoral and the North
American Continent by direct route straight
the Pacific.
The one limitation in the way Of carrying
out these pretentious plans is money, but the
Japanese is, above all things. frugal and
sire, coupled with a purposive ambition. and
any man, group Of men, or nation, will OBJ
tain 1t, and the end, under such circumstances.
Invariably justif1es the means. The 'frugality
of the Japanese Is proverbial, but great as 1t
has been it has not yet reached the point
beyond which a united national spirit will
not go.
To meet the financial difficulty Of carrying
out the expanded program Of military, naval
and commercial aviation the army is reduc-
ing demands for immediate increases along
certain lines monetary contributors are
pouring in from political and business or
ganfzations-even school children are adding
their dole. each accompanied by appeals for
q strengthening of the aerial defense of the
country and the stimulation OF commercial
air enterprises.
In order to maintain this awakened popular
zeal in aeronautics the government is ar
ranging exhibition flying. Races with liberal
purses being conducted and the Diet has
been asked to enact an aerial flight competi-
ton act and aerial pari-mutuel act to
stimulate interest and facilitate the under
takings Of commercial aerial transport COM
panies, thereby relieving of the drain
upon the imperial treasury for direct sub
sides.
Such spirit is one which must be reckoned
with-not flash of popular enthusiasm over
a novelty, but a deep-rooted conviction in
the entire race consciousness, permeating the
masses from the highest to the humblest in
dividual-all united in a single idea Of nation
al supremacy in the air.
Five commercial companies now estab-
lished, operating three land and 16 hydro
planes, have all received large government