Evening star., 1932-12-04

taking care of the middle transe
The fate Of such a consolidation
plan, however, may depend to a con-
siderable degree on the attitude to be
taken by Congress during the coming
Few months. Postmaster General Wal
ter F. Brown. though he has not COM
mill ed himself on the proposal, has in
d1cated publicity before congressional
committees that he is in accord with
such mergers of operating companies
as step toward efficiency.
A number Of powerful Democratic
members. Of Congress, however, are un-
alterably opposed to the creation of a
huge aviation trust" which will re-
suit In the Killing of of independent
competition. This they revealed dur
ing the course of the three separate
congressional investigations last Spring
Of the airmail situation. The coming
change of administration, In view of
the attitude of these Democratic mem
bers Of Congress. may act as q bar
to the rumored merger.
The merger unqueStionably would
strengthen American Anyways in more
respects than one. American Airways
now operates three lines out Of New
York, to Boston, Hartford and Albany
Montreal. 1t operates three lines out
Of Atlanta, to Chicago, Los Angeles
and New Orleans. Between New York
and Atlanta the company's map shows
a great blank-filled by E. A. T.
American Airways operates in New
England and 1t operates from Atlanta
to the Pacific Coast. Yet it must de-
pend upon Eastern Air Transport fol
its business along the Atlantic sea-
board. 1t Is only natural that Amer
ican Airways should desire consoli-
dation which would put 1t directly into
this populous and busy area. Much ol
the business on Americans Boston-Nev
York run Is for Southern points-busi-
ness which American must relinquisf
to Eastern Air at Newark. Some Of
this business American is able to pick
UP again at Atlanta, but this proper
tion Is very small.
Cords struggle for mastery OF the
American Airways System, into which
he was drawn by Americans purchase
of the Cord operated Century Arlines
was one of the financial sensations OF
the past month. His activities led tc
the filing of q $1,000,000 libel suit by
La Motto T. Cohu, president OF Amert-
can Airways, against Cord agents as 9
result of alleged improper attempts te
influence stockholders.
The struggle has been settled tempo
rarily by an agreement that the board
of directors shall be composed OF Is
men, one-third appointed by the anti.
Cord interests, one-third by the Cord
group and one-third by the independent
stockholders This, in some quarters
is regarded as Cord victory and an
important factor in the future develop
ment of the system.
Air Corps Below Strength.
An economy bitten Army Air Corps
below strength in officers, men and
equipment, and an Air Corps reserve
crippled by lack of funds for adequate
training are painted by F. Truhee Davi-
son, Assistant Secretary Of War for
Aeronautics, in his annual report, made
public this week.
The five-year Air Corps development
program, already far beyond the date
for its completion, has been temporar-
lily abandoned and the Air Corps or.
ganization, the Armyis first line OF
defense" is full of skeleton combat
squadrons, woefully deficient In men
and planes, it is shown in the report.
While admitting the necessity fol
the most rigid economies, Secretary
Dawson stressed the importance to the
country of a thoroughly prepared All
Corps.
"An air force that Is not in existence
on the outbreak Of war" he said, "can
not be brought into being until too late
to exercise its tremendous power in the
early stages Of hostilities, when 1t would
be of greatest effect. 1t will make the
first contact for the Army against an
enemy In the air. on the ground, OF
afloat. Its state of preparedness in the
early stages of a war before the ground
forces have made contact might well be
the deciding factor in determining the
outcome"
Taking into consideration all factors
including airplane strength, combat
unit strength, personnel, in numbers
and training, performance Of aircraft
and organization, both in the Army and
Navy, regular and reserve, Mr.. Dawson
placed the United States fourth among
the nations Of the world In relative ali
strength.
Training Of the Air Corps was seri-
ously curtailed by the lack of funds fol
the holding of the annual exercises
which, Mr.. Dawson emphasized, should
be held at least once a year. Air power
depends upon the carrying on of con-
-tinuous operations by an air force com.
posed of all branches Of military avi-
alton, he said, declaring that the nee
essary training can be accomplished
only by annual concentration of all
units for period of operation as ar
air force.
There was a very large increase ir
the number Of fatal accidents in All
Corps operations during the past year
situation which undoubtedly was due
In very large measure to curtailed
training, necessary to keep men fit for
exact1ng and hazardous military flying
Mr.. Dawson strongly condemned any
enort to reduce or eliminate flight pay
declaring that he knew of no measure
more certain to destroy the high mo-
rale" of the Air Corps.
In submitting his report, Mr.. Dawson
makes 1t clear that he expects no in
creased expenditures until the financial
condition OF the country improves, but
says that he feels 1t to be his duty to
sound the note of warning. 1t is a
rather gloomy picture he paints, but
certainly Is not half SO gloomy as the
situation the country would experience
If there should arise an emereencv in
which the immediate use of an air force
would be required-and it may be de-
pended upon that any military emer-
gency involving the Nation would call
for immediate action by an air force If
disaster were to be averted.
AirmaiI Campaign Renewed.
The once familiar airmail develop
ment work of the Post Office Depart
ment and air transport lines put aside
a few years ago, has been resumed as a
result Of the depression and the in
crease in airmail postage rates.
The publicity campaign in behalf of
the Airmail Service, which was side
tracked when the Airmail Service be-
gan to settle down" and interest was