Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-11
BY FREDERICK r. NEELY.
NHAT determinee and headstr

TN HAT determined and headstrohg
child of the War Department
the Army Air Service-who
Il by its demands for recognition
as a prime factor in the Ma
tion's scheme of defense, stirred the
country during the greater part Of
1925 and brought forth several i'm
portant Investigations, has been paci
fed, for the next five years at least
by the Army aircraft building pro
gram bill, which President Coolidge
signed in the closing hours of Con
gress.
Although denied complete au
tonomy, either in the form of a
united air force or a separate branch
the Air Corps, as it is now known
has been bolstered up in such a man
ner as to make each officer and en-
listed man proud of the cloth he
wears" Many of the specifications
under the general charges against the
prevailing System" of defense have
not been cleared up as viewed through
the airmen's eyes, but the benefits
that have come to them under the
five-year building bill liquidate and
minimize these objections to almost
negligible quantities.
And included in these objections
is the promotion grievance. This
vital phase of the controversy has not
been disposed of, Congress, failing to
reach an agreement, having passed
the matter back to the War Depart
ment for investigation and report at
the December session. Optimism pre-.
walls among the flyers for an "even
break" from the department, and
their hopes are centered around the
adoption Of a plan that was conceived
by general staff officer.
Expect Decided Progress.
Battle.scarred veteran airmen of
the aircraft controversy in Washing
ton feel that from this date on the
efficiency curve of the corps will show
as sharp a climb as any of it's newest
planes can make. Wonders cannot be
expected momentarily, they argue,
because the provisions of the legisla-
ton dealing with new aircraft and
new personnel cannot be carried out
physically for many months. But the
foundation will be laid for an excel
lent peace-time record, it is claimed
by the pilots
Where it was felt before the Mitch
ell crusade that there was nothing
TO live or work for in the Air Serv-
ice, the opinion now prevails that
merit and extraordinary performance
of duty will bring rewards. Many in
ducements, inspiring diligence in mill
tary aviation, are held out in the
bill, not the least of them being the
fact that the major general chief of
the Air Corps and the brigadier gen.
eral assistant chief may be appointed
from any of the flyers who have had
10 years of commissioned service
SiXty-one colonies and majors, now in
the corps, are eligible for the appoint
ment to either office. Therefore the
successors to Maj. Gen. Mason NJ.
i'atrick and Brig. Gen. James E.
Fechet will be qualified pilots. =
Other provisions that have affected
the morale of the personnel favor
ably include an increase in the mum.
Der Of officers; the designation of in
creased rank with pay and allow
ances to officers performing duties
ordinarily assigned to men of higher
grade; an Air Secretary Of War, an
''air Office of the general staff, to
which all aviation problems will be
referred and considered by qualified
pilots; the award of a distinguished
flying cross for extraordinary per-
Torrance of duty in flight in time
of peace; complement of 1900 serv-
iceable airplanes, with 400 constantly
on order, and strict requirements
pldCeu on OIIlcerS OF Otner branches
seeking admission to the Air Corps.
. Enlisted Men Recognized.
The enlisted men also are recog.
nized in the bill. Twenty per- cent of
the entire personnel in time of peace
may be enlisted pilots. A soldiers
medal is authorized for award to the
man who has performed extraordi-
nary service and he is also eligible
to receive the distinguished flying
cross. In the event he wins either
of these an increase in his pay of
50 per month is granted. In order to
prevent the mechanics from leaving
the service for better opportunities in
civil life, an "air mechanics rating"
is provided, giving the. recipient
higher pay and privileges. To OBJ
tain this designation the mechanic
must possess special qualifications,
however.
Just how the personnel will be in
creased from approximately $50 Off
GERS at present to 1850 regular
aviators, $50 reserve pilots and 1000
enlisted men, including 500 flying
cadets, has not been determined.
That is left to the department and
the change can be made either by