Evening star., 1932-12-01
ECONOMIES BLOW
| TO ARMY AVIATION
U. S. Reduced to Fourth
Place Among Nations in
First-Line Defense.

FEDERAL economies nave SO CuI tr1ilCo
activities of the Army Air Corps that
the Armys "first line of defense" today
lacks necessary officers, men, equipment
and training, and the United States
stands fourth among the nations OF the
earth in the strength of its air force,
r. Trubee Dawson, Assistant Secretary
of War for Aeronautics. declared in his
annual report, made public today.
The five-year program of development
of the Air Corps, now long past the
date set for its completion, remains
unfinished, with no prospect for com.
pletion so long as the present financial
state of the country continues, MI
Dawson pointed out. The Air corps
during the last fiscal year, has taken
a direct cut of 18 per cent in its FUNDS
and this decrease would be much larger
If cuts of an indirect nature were IN
cluded, he said.
Mr.. Dawson sounded q solemn warn
ing against too drastic reduction OF
the Nations air force. The Army Air
Corps, he pointed out, "is the nrst line
Of our land defenses."
Importance Of Time.
San air force that is not in existence
on the outbreak of war" Mr.. Dawson
said. cannot be brought into being
nower in the early stages of hostilities,
when it would be of greatest effect. IL
will make the first contact for the
Army against an enemy in the air, on
the ground, or afloat It's state OF pre-
paredness in the early stages OF war
before ground forces have made con-
tact might well be the decisive factor
TN determining the outcome"
Necessary economies have forced
reduction in training OF new pilots ior
Hraining only sufficient pilots to meet
sthe Immediate personnel requirements
of the five-year program, Mr.. Dawson
said. Though efforts have been made
to establish all the Squadrons and tao
aical units authorized by the five-year
program, many of them are only skele-
ton organizations. woefully deficient in
officers. men and equipment, the re-
port showed
Discussing the relative air powers OF
the nations. Mr. Dawson said:
an the light of the most recent in
formation and using as q measuring
stick the full air strength that could
be employed in particular operation
where armies, navies and air forces
would be employed to their full strength,
this country stands fourth in relative
air strength"
Air Corps Strength.
The commissioned strength Of the
Air Corps at the close OF the fiSacl
year was 1884, an increase of only Ii
officers during the year. The increase
during the previous year was but 80.
At this rate of increase the Secretary
for Aeronautics pointed out. ut is pure
conjecture to forecast when the Oh
jective of /, $50 officers in the Air Corps
Of the Regular Army will be reached"
Steps should be taken, he said. to in
sure fixed number Of vacancies an
nlially for the Air Corps.
Another great drawback to the build
ing up Of air efficiency has been the
cancellation Of the annual Air Corps
exercises, which, Mr.. Dawson said,
should be held at least once each
year"
Though acknowledging the need for
rigid economy, Mr.. Dawson urged
vigorously that no change be made in
the system of flight pay, saying that
he knows of no measure more certain
to destroy the high morale existing in
our flying services today than to
tamper with the flight pay principle
which in its present form has been
In existence since the amendment of
the national defense act In 1920"
+. Secretary Dawson went on record In
his report as opposing creation Of
combined Department of National De-
fense, including the Army and Navy,
or Of a united air force.
Impairment Of Defense.
Regardless of the question of econ
omy," he said, Il am just as convinced
that such an organization would result
in serious impairment of our national
defense. The air arm of each service
has a separate and distinct mission"
In concluding his report, Mr.. Davi-
son said: 1.-THE recommendations which
I have made in this report have been
presented with full realization that
such of them as call for increased ex-