Evening star., 1933-06-18

creaLlOn OF b Separate NAVY ALI SOiPp'
That the Navy prefers the present
short order. Within "A hours after
the members Of the congressional COM
mittee had submitted their recon-
mendation, Secretary Of the Navy
Swanson told reporters attending his
regular press conference that he did
not think there would be any change
in the present status Of airship Of
ficers.
He listed a number Of reasons for
not desiring the change. Experience,
he said, has taught the necessity Of
having experienced aviation officers on
duty with the battle forces for tactical
reasons. It also is important, in the
Navy opinion, to have officers Of the
fleet experienced in aviation matters.
which can be accomplished only by
an interchange Of assignments. CO.
ordination of all branches of the serv-
ice must be obtained If the best re-
suits are to be obtained, he said. and
this result can be gained best by CIV
ing officers actual experience In as
many branches Of naval activity as
possible.
To deny airship officers sea duty, he
said, would be to deny them the right
of succession to the high Navy COM
mands, since there is not now neces-
sity for airship officers Of a rank
higher than commander and lieuten-
ant commander. He said also that an
impairment Of eyesight or physical
condition of an aviation oficer which
untitled him for flight duty might
necessitate his separation from the
service under the proposed policy,
~ t1< Inn aUcfey pad
to duty in the Regular Navy for which
he may not be disqualified
Outside the service, however, there
appears to have developed a very de-
cided feeling that airship offers should
be specialists, trained and devoted to
airship duty exclusively. Many wit
nesses before the Joint Congressional
Committee advocated such procedure,
a number Of them voicing the opinion
that the Akron and the Shenandoah
would not have been lost had this sys-
tenn been in operation.
In view Of the general situation
which has developed as a result Of the
Akron investigation, therefore, 1t seems
quite likely that, unless the temper
of members of Congress changes dur
ing the next six months, there may be
showdown on this troublesome prob
lem of airship personnel policy next
Winter
Navy Proposes Secrecy.
For three years the aeronautics
branch Of the Department Of Commerce
has been working on the development
of a system Of radio aids to the blind"
landing of aircraft. This work was
undertaken as a safety measure, for
the ultimate protection Of airline pas
sengers, airplane crews, public mails
and goods.
A large measure of success having
crowned the efforts of the departments
research workers, for three months they
have had on public trial at Newark Air
port, worlds busiest air terminal, a
demonstration installation Of the equip
ment.
The system was intended entirely for
the benefit of the public and has been
widely publicized 1t has been described
in great detail in several Department Of
Commerce publications. 1t has been
shown without reservation to hundreds
of representatives Of airlines, newspa-
pers, magazines and foreign govern
ments. 1t has been photographed from
all viewpoints and theater-goers have
seen it in operation via the newsreels in
all parts of the United States and
abroad
Every one who has had any interest
in the system, including representa-
tives of a number Of foreign nations,
has been given the fullest possible op-
portunity to inspect the system on the
ground and to watch its methods Of
operation from the air.
Consequently, officials in charge Of
the demonstrations at Newark were
astounded when board Of three officers
of the United States Navy appeared on
the scene a few days ago and, after
being shown the device, demanded that
1t be removed from the airport, treated
as a military secret and all facts as to
its construction and operation with
held.
They, so they intimated, were pre-
pared to inform the Secretary of the
Navy of their discovery that the device
has unusual potentialities for military
use and should become one Of the in