The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-02-22
photo BY international

nave never D6SH dDI0 W S0AtASA0S
with. Ii those in control Of an
army, which in reality is q public
utility corporation, are so influ-
ehced by personal considerations
that they are blind TO what the
best interests Of the country de
mand, then we are falling pretty
low in our much.vaunted principles
OF Americanisnl.
stirred Hornets Nest
II the ideas i advocated were
those OF an individual alone who
had had little experiences it would
be a different matter, but when
they represented the findings Of
the best thought OF all countries on
that subject, given by one possess
ing the widest experience along
those lines. they deserved very
serious consideration The lack Of
such consideration caused me TO tell
Congress the exact condition Of our
air defense, our civil aviation and
the relation of the Army and Navy
to both. This stirred up q hornets
nest In both the War and Navy
Departments and it was determined
then to remove me so that could
on Congress.
The Secretary of War at that
time waited until Congress ad.
iourned ION March 1, then sent his
recommendation to the President
that / be relieved as Assistant
Chief OF Air Service. In this let
ter, the Secretary gave to the
President information which j con-
Sidered inaccurate as TO the number
and nature of our aircraft equip
ment, which information had been
furnished him by the Army bureau
Gratis with whom he was sur
rounded.
Flock OF NonfIyers
With my relief from aviation
headquarters in Washington passed
the last vestige of the war.trained
air officer ina directing position
with our Government, either in the
Army or Navy. All who remained
were nonflyers OF the bureaucratic
regime The one exception to this
rule was the chief of the army air
service, who, coming from the en-
gineers, had been put at the head
of the air service to keep it down.
He. however, realized the absolute
necessity for its advancement and
uIF0CIIN OppOSG0 the wv DIT depart
ment in their attempts@to quash it.
Congress, sitting the evidence. re-
allied the truth of the testimony
We had given, but was restrained
from definite action by the military
bureaucracies acting on the key
members OF Congress and through
one Of the political parties who used
the good bid party whip to keep its
adherents in line.
The result of the proceedings was
that for the time being all air serv
ice legislation was blocked. /. the
leader of the military reform, was
sent to Texas, where it was thought
/ would be effectually muZzled and
would constitute an admirable warn
ing to all air officers to keep their
mouths shut else they would go the
same way that / had, All develop
ments of the air service was stopped.
What remained of our bombing
squadrons were detailed to tow
anti-aircraft artillery targets, in order
to pile up fake and untrue records
with which to fool the people and
Congress. The general staff made
a study of the best way to take the
flying pay from the real flyers, as
bitter jealousy existed on account
of this extra compensation for fly.
ing; and last, both the War and
Navy Departments absolutely avoid
ed and disobeyed the law of Con
gress passed at the last session,
that warships not needed for other
purposes should be used as targets
for aircraft attack. in order to de-
velop this important branch.
Congress has been the sole au.
thority that has made it possible
N tn fn
could sink any seacraft ever built
or that could be built.
Pure Publicity Stunts
With the Army Air Service crush
ed to earth, the bureaucracies and
the general staff were in the saddle
stronger than ever. The Navy, to
get quick publicity with which to
go before Congress and obtain add
ed appropriations in order to turn
all air development to their own
advantage, sent a half prepared
expedition to the Pacific coast for a
flight to Hawaii, a similar one to
the Arctic, and to cap the climax,
ordered the airship Shenandoah on
a propaganda trip to the county
fairs of the Middle West during the
very worst part of the storm sea-
son. Disaster was sure to result
All my Olu dITHlen were sure OF II,
and l determined that in the inter
est of the country | would tell
what had occurred when these i'm
pending catastrophes did take place
This action could in no way hurt
discipline in the army but on the
contrary would improve 1t, as 1t
would awaken a hope for better
things in the hearts OF men doing
the actual work. whether on the
ground or in the air.
The next articles will tell about
the court martial and the Presi,
dents aircraft board. In The
Washington Times exclusively on
Thursday.
Copyright, 1926 by the Bell
Syndicate)