Evening star., 1928-12-23

Wv as the most important
piece of aeronautical
legislation pending before Con-
greSS has received temporary
setback at the very start of the
present session and, it is feared
may be delayed seriously by ef-
forts of political log-rollerS.
The measure, the Furlow bill, is
intended to set up an independ-
ent promotion list for the Army
Air Corps and thereby relieve a
very serious situation affecting
the welfare of the corps. Those
who have studied the problem
are convinced that unless the
Furlow bill or some similar meas
ure is passed during the present
session of Congress the country
will find itself, before another
Congress conveneS, with nothing
but the skeleton of an Army Air
Corps left because of designations.
Dissatisfaction with present
conditions in the Air Corps has
LOST to the Government the Serv-
ices Of many promising pilots who
have gone into the field of COM
mercial aeronautics rather than
remain in a service in which
loyalty and ability cannot be re-
warded by promotion. The i'm
paSSe in which the Army Air Corps
finds itself has been well eX-
planned by Col. Charles A. Lind
bergh.
Promotion Prospects Slim.
"At present." Col. Lindbergh
said, "the average Army Air Corps
officer is holding a command far
above his rank. His prospect of
promotion is diScouraging, and
the opportunities offered by COM
mercial aviation are far greater
than those of his Army life.
Military flying is more hazard
Gus than commercial flying and
will become more so as safety ap-
plianceS are developed which can
not be used in combat planes.
Also, the physical strain on an
Army pilot in carrying out mill
tary missions is not comparable
to that of commercial tranSporta-
tion.
''It is of the utmost Importance
at the present time to take steps
toward building up the morale
of our Air Corps if we expect to
maintain its past standard of
efficiency. Rank commensurate
with command is of prime i'm
portance. A number of our best
officers have already resigned and
unless steps are taken to relieve
the present situation we will lose
many more in the near future. In
my opinion separate promotion
list will accomplish much in build
ing UP an efficient Air Corps in
the United States"
AS a result of the present Army
promotion system World War
combat pilots are still serving as
first ieutenantS though charged
with responsibilities normally
given to captains, majors, lieut.
enant colonelS, and in some in
stances even colonelS. The Air
Corps morale is hard hit because
today a first lieutenant in the Air
Corps cannot look forward to any,
thing better than a captaincy or,
at DeSC, q majors commission De-
fore he reaches the retirement
age.
Bill Referred to Committee.
Although DO per cent Of the
vacancies in the entire Army pro-
motion list are found in the avia-
ton branch, the Air Corps vacan-
cies are not filled by Air Corps
promotions except as they stand
in order along with the Infantry
officer, the artilleryman, the
cavalryman, the quatermaster.
the engineer, the signal officer or
the officer in any other branch
of the Army.
The Furiow bill was passed
unanimously by the House during
the past session. It was passed
again by the House during the
past week by more than a two