Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
BETSY ROSS CORPS
. OF WOMEN FLYERS
SWORN IN SERVICE
Admr. Moffett Makes Plea
for Naval Building Program
in Address.
FECHET FORECASTS DAY
OF FEMININE ACES
Believes Some Women Aviators
Will Take Part in Actual
Combat in Next War.

"A SURFING plea LOT support OF bIlC
naval building program by Rear Admit
raj William A. Moffett, chief of the
Navy Bureau of AeronauticS, and a
prediction that women will play an
important part in the air in the next
war by Maj. Gen. James E. Fechet,
chief of the Army Air Corps, featured
the organization at Memorial CONT
mental Hall yesterday afternoon of the
Betsy Ross Corps, composed of wom-
en- pilots who are in training to relieve
men flyers for combat duty in event
Of national emergency.
Members of the corps, including noted
women pilots from all parts OF the
United States, were sworn in at yester-
days ceremony and will go into train
ing camps to prepare themselves for
fying duty in case Of war or national
emergencies such as food or other
disasters which require the emergency
services of trained flyers.
Marks Forward Step.
Creation of the corps. Admiral Moi
felt declared, marks another forward
step in aviation and in national defense
to an extent that we cannot realize
today.
Lack of public demand caused mac
ton in the last Congress. said Admiral
Moffatt, adding that even the Ameri-
can Legion was too busy pressing ad-
iusted CONDENSATION to succeed in &C.
complishing anything for national de-
Tense"
"One part of the program will be
especially interesting to you" said Ad-
miraI Moffatt, because it includes air
craft carriers and flying deck cruisers.
with the necessary aircraft to go with
them to insure our national security"
1t is most important, Admiral Moi
fatt said, that women should take their
part, both in peace and in war, but
especially in war. in the new field of
aerial transportation, which forms a
most powerful new weapon in warfare.
In time of peace" he said, there
are many positions that they can fill,
both in the air and on the ground, and
similarly in war.
Would Be Of Great Value.
Woman flyers, women with a, knowl-
edge Of aviation, would be of immense
value for the operation of these planes,
for releasing the men for flying at the
front and for supporting their efforts
there intelligently. 1t is the women
behind the front that will win the war.
THE next, and all future wars, will
be settled in large measure by this new
and yet terrible weapon, aircraft, and
its successful use will be enhanced by
organizations such as yours, the Betsy
Ross Corps"
Gen. Fechet told the women pilots
that in the next war a very heavy bur-
den will fall on the airmen of the coun-
try and that there will be none too
many of them" There will be a large
field of usefulness for women in the
air, he declared
I'm the next war" he predicted,
there undoubtedly will be some out
standing women pilots who will engage
in actual combat flying at the front,
sharing the glorieS and dangers of men
pilots
Women Invited to Races.
Clifford Henderson, executive director
OF the National Air Races for several
years past and OF the next of these
national classics to be held in Cleve-
land next August, invited the women
pilots of the corps TO make their first
public appearance in the air at this
years races.
Mrs. Opal Logan Kunz Of New York.
organizer Of and national commander
of the Betsy Ross Corps, who recently
distinguished herself by her skill and
courage in landing crippled plane at
observation-disclosures Airport. announced
the corps has been presented its own
flying field, near Orange City, Fla, the
only field to be owned by women pilots |
The field, given to the corps by DR..
Francis Dickinson OF Chicago, she said,
is a mile long by'a half mile wide.
Members of the corps in the Ninth
Corps Area, on the Pacific Coast, al
ready have begun active training, it
was reported by Mildred Morgan, who
flew from California to the National
Capital in her own plane to attend the |
organization meeting
They have established a training |
camp on the estate Of the corps area
Mrs. Florence Lowe Barnes, |
known woman flyer, who has
ner own private airport. They have !
organized a ground school and are ar |
ranging for the purchase Of three planes |
in addition to several planes owned by |
individual members.
Creation of a flying cadet corps for
the training OF women students as a
step to membership in the corps when |
they qualify for their pilots licenses
has been undertaken, she said. On the
way across the country she visited a
newly formed corps area group at
Kansas City.
Plan Flying Tour.
Mrs. Kunz. Mrs. Barnes and Miss
Morgan are planning a flying tour OF
inspection in their own planes OF the
various corps area units Of the Betsy
Ross Corps this Summer, 1t was an
nounced. There now are active men,
hers in all nine corps areas, Mrs. KunZ
said. the areas being identical with
those of the Army.
The members of the corps were well
coined bv Mrs. Lowell Fletcher Hobart, |
president general of the National So
cietv Daughters of the American Revo-
tuition. A United States flag was pre-
sented to the corps by Mrs. Eleanor
washington Howard last member OF
the washington family born at Mount
Vernon. the standard being received for
thc corps by Miss Mary Goodrich OF
Connecticut. A corps flag was presented
by Mrs. Eleanor Patterson and was ac-
cepted by Miss Morgan.
The members Of the corps were sworn
in by Capt. Gill Robb Wilson. former
ARMY chaplain, who is corps chaplain
and only male member OF the organl-
zation.
Among the members sworn in at yes
terdav's ceremony were Mrs. KunZ,
Miss Morgan, Mrs. Frederick Lothrop
Arnes of Boston, Mrs. Martha More
house johnson of Columbus, Ohio; Miss
Goodrich. Lola 10 LutZ. OF. Oshkosh,
wis: Miss Thelma Elliott OF Balti-
more. who will fly in an aerial circus at
Confessional Airport, near Rockville,
Md today and Miss Jane Dodge OF
Germantown. Pa. /
Prior TO the ceremonial at Memorial
Continental Hall members of the corps