New Britain herald., 1926-10-15
THE AMERICAN LEGION
 AND AVIATION,

convention assembled, has seen fit, in addition to routine business, to call attention to the need Of furnish ing facilities for the development of aviation. If the wishes Of the Legion were followed every community of any size whatever would have a field, the efforts of the United States would be bent toward training av- iators and supplying the needs of training camps with adequate air defense for every large center of population and industry. In addi- ton. and perhaps most important, it Is recommended that a separate department of the air be instituted, removing the aerial defense from the Jurisdiction 0. the Army and Navy and placing 1t in the hands of a secretary of the air, who shall rank. in importance, with the other two secretaries.
 The latter proposition has been A subject over which there has been much disagreement during the last couple Of years. Advocates of the separate department have been many. opponents have been largely recruited from the old guard of the Army and the Navy, who do not wish to see the supreme au- thority over men who would be attached to their commands, as aviators. pass from their hands. The higher authorities Of the two de- partments of war argue that they could not achieve the desired re- suits with the flying personnel were they placed on ships or land. with naval or military outfits unless they were absolutely under their complete command, answerable to them and to them only for the execution of orders. Proponents of the scheme, however, argue that personnel will be better trained and fitted for duties as aviators, were the men answerable&to a di- vision of aironautics, that mater ielle would be vastly improved were there an organization to look after that phase. They claim that 1t would be possible 10 give at- tention 10 the flying needs much better if the authorities were con- cerned with them only and did not have 10 consider equipment all lied to other branches of the serv- ice.
 Whichever side ultimately wins in the argument, and we have a feeling that the separate depart ment will eventually be created, the aviation side of warfare Is bound to become more and more important. It seems that the cycle of combat is swinging back to individual combat. At one time man met. man. swinging a warcluh or spear to decide which tribe or nation should prevail in argument Knight met knight on the field of combat. more recently. Later. when guns were perfected. war was g trinc more q matter Of mass ac- ton and that idea increased until the last war, when londrange guns machine guns and large bodies Of troops were used with very little hand-to- hand combat, Tn fact, the greater part Of the time the contenders did not even sec their adyers9 rics. But. mixed uT with this, there began the dcvel' opment Of the aeroplane. Man tt man combats in this branch Of the service were not uncommon. One aviator pitted his skill and bravery against another, 10 keep him from reaching the lines with death dealing bombs Of gas or high ex' pdosive. As times goes On and aer' oplancs are perfected the possi' i biliiics of hand-to-hand comoa' will increase. Like knights Of olf aviators will go forth 10 do bat tie. They will meet their op ponents mounted on a steed Of tht air and fight it out with guns in stead Of lances 10 see which side shall prevail and reach the vita part of inc enemy's dhfenses witt 1 nigh explosive and destructive ma ! tnrial Clouds of machines will fl! on both sides, but the preliminar5 combat will be between individuals i never holoss. and the skill and dar' ing individuals will prevail.
 This must happen, It will happen possibly tomorrow, possibly flft! years from nov The Legion is jus | flied in asking we look forward t' it.
 
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