Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-27

ideas of the Navy. / think 1t for the
NAVY TO decide what they ought to
have: whether they should do away
with battleships and go to submarines
or fast cruisers. They have to deter.
mine that in the light of experience.
But If YOU want to defend Yourself
properly you must have aircraft; if
YOU lack them you will be wiped off
the land and water"
And vet In the face of all these in.
controvertible facts and startling ex.
periments, Congress persists in it's in
explicable policy toward aircraft
The recent agitation stirred up by
former Brig. Gen. William Mitchell
resulted in some legislative advance.
Bills were passed by Congress Great
ing Assistant Secretaries for Aviation
in the Army, Navy and Commerce
Departments, and tive-year Army
and Navy program was laid out.
What Bills Provided.
The bill providing for the creation
of an Army Air Corps authorized the
Secretary of War to maintain and
equip a force not to exceed 800 air.
planes. and as many dirigibles as were
deemed necessary. The personnel was
to be brought up to 1874 officers and
l6 900 enlisted men. The increase in
personnel and equipment was to be
distributed over tive-year period. be-
ginning July /, 1926 The bill would
double the size of the present Army
air force, and required an expenditure
Of about SIS 900, 900 for new aircraft
The Navy bill provided for the con-
struction of approximately 1914
planes during the next five years. and
also that an Assistant Secretary of
War should be appointed to have di-
rect charge of aeronautics in that
branch.
This was the best and most intelli-
gent legislative advance that has been
made since the armistice, but by one
of those peculiar legislative ironies
whereby Congressman sometimes en-
deavor to eat their cake and not pay
for it, after passing these very excel
lent measures, they neglected to APP
propriate sufficient funds to carry
them out. They said, Let there be
national air defense"-and then they
rested.
Representative Frank James of
Michigan. a far-seeing and valiant
friend of aircraft, during the present
Congress declared:
Americas weakness in air power
was laid before Congress last session.
We passed a bill aimed to correct de.
ficiencieS. Now we want to know
what has been done toward carrying
that policy into effect. Reports have
come to the committee that the policy
has been upset in some respects. We
plan to lay all the facts before the
country.
I'VE believe 1t to be our duty to
follow up this inquiry to see what
has been done to correct deplorable
conditions. If additional legislation
is necessary. I have no doubt the COM
mittee will recommend it."
Other Defenses Modernized.
In this connection. we quote from
former Brig. Gen. William Mitchell,
in public statement issued early in
this year:
Every great power in the world,
except the United States, modernized
its defenses after the World War.
About 80 per cent of the funds en-
pended annually for defense, amount
ing to approximately $560,000 900, are
wasted because of lack of co-ordina.
ton between the various military es-
Establishments of the Government.
Both the Army and Navy are still
organized along theories of combat
that existed long before modern
methods of warfare were even dream.
ed of.
Air power. the most vital factor
to the defenses of this Nation, is as
signed no primary function, but is
maintained as an auxiliary to land
and sea forces.
I'VE must reorganize the Army to
hold the land; the Navy to get under
the water and control it; the Air Force