Evening star., 1934-03-18


REPRESENTATIVE COLLINS.
Underwood Photo.
military aviation, the results in ef1-
cheney and effectiveness would remain
very near the present level without
a comprehensive and progressive work
schedule for the flyers themselves. A
military aviator may fly from now
until doomsday under present condi-
tionS and still improve his proficiency
only an infiniteSmal amount unless
he has goals to attain and beneficial
projects to accomplish. Whether 4
or 40 hours a week are spent in
plotting a plane makes little dill
ference.
Work Projects Urged.
Military and naval aviators fly
without real ends in view today, and
when they set their planes down upon
the home field at the end of the time
spent in the air, in general they have
only their fatigue to show for their
efforts. Intelligent and progressive
work projects, such as flying the mail
Photographic mapping of the United
States or exploration of little-known
or little-traveled portions of the colln-
try, would help rectify this squirrel
cage condition 1t would give a sense
81 liS1 ond Rin6ia the
fires OF ambition among military ayia-
tors. The services should be kept
busy on work which would be Of
benefit and help to the country.
Without a desire for betterment and
improvement, military and naval svia-
ton stagnates and the money spent
upon it goes for gaudy and impress
sive non-essentials. Thus We see. as
at Randolph field in the Canal Zone.
exquisite homes for Air Corps per-
Sonnel, delightful landscaping around
the post, plethora Of fresh paint
and the surface of the flying field
itself begged down in thick, greasy
mud. For years the Army Air Corps
kept military bands on many OF their
posts and large number of the fields
supported riding horses for reasons
no Air Corps officer was ever able to
explain.
While all these things have a
doubtful value even in Army line es-
tablishments, their existence in the
flying branch Of the service was
cruel and costly tomfoolery at the
expense of the taxpayer. TinSel. mar
tial music, shiny boots, spurs and
gilded trolley cable may we'll adorn
the membership of the Mystic Knights
of the Sea, but these Ziegfeldian ap-
purtenances Ill become the persons
and the establishments Of that branch
of the service now popularity regarded
as our first line Of defense.
II ever the time has arrived when
military and naval aviation should
put away its infantile thought. its uni
forms. its treadmill philosophy and
grow into manhood. that time is now.
We spend, roughly, 100000 year
on Army and Navy flying, and 1t
should cease going almost exclusively
into pay for personnel, adornment OF
posts and the traditional impedimenta
that have surrounded the military
man since time immemorial.
First In Civilian Aviation.
Military and naval aviation can
gain strength from Americas indus
trial and mechanical genius If it
adopts for its symbol a pair Of over
oil inst of
a form fitting uniform and the right
hand salute. Machinery and youth,
not military tradition and rank, must
become it's touchstones.
The United States is said to rank
No. / in civilian aviation. Yet the
military and naval air corps stand
bewildered on the sidelines, clutching
a bunch of receipted bills from air
craft manufacturers In their hands
without even partial realization of. or
the means to true air power in sight
upon the horizon.
The loosening of the Treasury cof-
fers in favor of military and naval
aviation will not guarantee the fru-
ition Of the plans Of those who hope
to see military aviation come into its
own. A new thought, new meaning
and new leadership must be pro-
vided. Money alone is not enough.
Lest this conclusion be considered AS
unsupported. 1 wish to conclude by
quoting from testimony developed be-
fore the military subcommittee of
the House Appropriations Committee.
Of which am chairman. Three years
ago the then chief of the Air Corps.
Maj. Gen. James E. Fechet, testified
as follows:
Mr.. Collins-I want to ask one more
question before forget it. The Gov
ernment appropriates money for the
Air Corps of the Army and for the
Air Corps of the Navy. / imagine
that the appropriation for the Navy
for ali air activities is about the same
as the appropriation for the Army
about $70,000,000. What is your opin-
ion about the adequacy of that sum
of money to provide adequate air force
for this Government?
Gen. Fechet-IAm firmly convinced
that the United States is spending
enough money today to provide ade-
quaLe national (air) defense; but in
my opinion it is not being properly
spent.
Mr.. Collins-That Is all.
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