Evening star., 1933-12-24

0CAOAC Al1l1GdEy d1ICId1L pIOOuCLlOI
Of 1000 airplanes per month, it "
The seriousness Of the situation was
stressed before the N. r. A. admins
traitor by Col. E. v. Rickenbacker, this
country's leading World War ace and
present air transport Official. and
Leighton w. Rogers, former chief Of the
aeronautical trade division Of the Bu-
reau Of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce and now executive vice presi-
dent Of the Aeronautical Chamber Of
fed to judge not only the condition
Of the private industry and military
air force in this country. but similar
developments abroad.
"In no war of the future" Ricken-
backer told the administrator. will the
United States be permitted to wait
seven months before producing the
number of planes required for service
against an enemy. No enemy will let
us wait that long. 1t is my opinion,
based on experience during the World
War and close study and observation
of this problem since the armistice,
that the next war will begin with an
aerial battle and it will end with that
first battle, SO far as the ultimate vic
tory Is concerned"
velopment Of great standing air force:
quite the contrary. He declared that
in air power such procedure would
not be practicable. The art of flying
is changing almost daily. The tech
nique is changing. This country should
not stock up with burdensome guam
tity Of equipment which might be
wholly obsolete before we were called
upon to use 1t in an emergency.
But" said Rickenbacker, I'VE do
need the nucleus of q wartime indus
try, adequate enough, both technically
and mechanically, to supply enough
equipment in peace and in war. We
need trained pilots and skilled mechan-
les capable of servicing war machines.
We need the most modern air trans
portation system that can be developed" !"
The problem is becoming more off
ficult all the time because OF the m
creasing speed. maneuverability and ca
pacity for load-carrying which our mil
itary equipment must have. Other
powers are spending lavishly on the
development Of military types which
they hope will fly more than 300 miles
an hour and be capable Of driving SIM
liar enemy types out Of the skies,
Rickenbacker said.
"They are trying to bring forth COM
merciai aircraft which they hope will
fly at $50 miles an hour" Rickenbacker
continued. If they do so, and if we
do not keep pace with them, then we
shall we at the absolute mercy of the
first air force that attacks US
The aircraft industry is at the mercy
Of the Government, the famous flyer
said. To go ahead at all, he insisted.
the industry must have assurance that
the aircraft plants will be permitted to
carry on design and manufacturing
without code interference, they must be
assured that the Government does not
intend to abolish its air forces and they
must be assured that the Government
does not intend to put the air transport
system out of business by failure to
support 1t as all other transportation
industries have been supported.
Rogers, from his experience In the
domestic and foreign trade fields,
sounded the warning that. while this
country's military airplane production
could not exceed rs planes during the
first month of hostilities, that of Great
Britain would total $50 and of France
200 during the first month of fighting.
Even the emergency requirements of
the situation may not be met If c0ndl'
Manufacturing plants producing air
craft, engines and accessories in gen.
eral are not paying dividends and show
no promise Of doing SO for many years
to come.
He urged a Federal public works
program of construction for the air
forces to bring them up to necessary
strength in equipment, to provide high
speed airplane and engine development
and to\fully equip the Organized Re-
serve and National Guard air squadronS
for all types of service training.
Such a program, he said. would add
thousands OF employees to the pay rolls
Of the aircraft manufacturing industry,
would rescue the industry from the
in their rightful position among those
Of other nations.
Harrm Takes Command.
Lieut.. Comdr. William X. Harrill, for
the past Is months executive officer at
the Anacostia Naval Air Station, has
assumed command of the station, which
is the hight-test base for the entire
naval aviation service. He succeeds the
veteran Capt. Warren G. Child. one OF
the earliest naval aviators, who recently
was detached from duty here.
A native Of Knoxville, Tenn, Comdr
Harrill graduated from the Naval Aca-
denny in 1914 and won the Navy Cross
for war service in the North Sea as staff
aide and officer In charge Of lnainten-
ance and operation Of radio and signal
communications of the mine-laying YES
sells and naval vessels In the area along
the north Of Scotland. He also was
commended for his service In connec-
ton with planning and execution of
mine-laytng operations and later during
the mine-sweeping operations.
After flight training at Pensacola he
FIRST came to Anacostia Naval Air Sta
ton for duty in 1921, taking On addi-
tional temporary duty in the Navy Bu-
reau of Engineering and O.. radio serv-
ice until 1923 when :.e went to sea
duty in an observation squadron, of
which he later assumed command.
He has seen duty as O naval aircraft
inspector and served here for two years
as aide to the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy for AeronauticS, this duty term
mating In 1929, when he was assigned
to the Board Of Inspection and Survey.
He served in 1880 as navigation officer
Langley and In 1891 as executive officer
of the Langley. He came to -Anacostia
as executive officer July 80, 1882.
Armen Fee0 biruS.
Ten tons of grain has been scattered
over the seven northern counties of
New Jersey by 18 airplanss as part
of the Winter bird-feeding program Of
the Consolidated Sportsmen Of New
Jersey, a league of fishermen. hunters
and conservationists with a member
ship said to total $4,000.
The bird-feeding program Is intended
to relieve the distress Of large numbers
Of game birds which suffer privation
and hardship during the Winter through
inability to obtain sufficient food. es-
on the House Committee and Miss Elsie
Barber chosen as page.
Mrs. Sterling Bockoven, State chair
man Of manual for immigrants, and
Mrs. Charles C.. Haig. State chairman