Evening star., 1934-07-23

and more and better training
S. To secure the best possible
planes. the war Department should
be permitted to buy through nego-
tiated contracts. competitive bids. or
by purchase after design competition.
even II 1t should be necessary 70
change existing laws 10 allow greater
freedom IN procurement methods.
As result OF congressional crit
ieiNn Of negotiated contracts. the
War Department now confines its
purchases TO competitive bidding.
Foulois Backing Hinted.
Suggestion of the three-method
procurement plan was taken in some
quarters as implied support Of Maj.
Gen. BENJAMIN d Foulois, chief Of
the Army Air Corps. who has been
under heavy FIRE by the House Nil
ftary Affairs Committee because OF
the Army's past purchasing methods.
The Baker committee. however.
made no specific mention of Gen.
Fou1ots' administration OF the Air
Corps or his supervision Of airmail
transportation, thus avoiding involve
ment In the controversy between the
general and the House committee
which has demanded his removal.
Other specific recommendations
made by the committee included
closer liasion between military and
commercial aviation: governmental
development Of airways: air-naviga-
ton facilities and ground facilities OF
value in national defense plans: con-
tinued efforts through research and
experimentation to keep abreast of
aeronautical development. especially
in new engines. communications in
struments. safety devices and weather
forecasting.
Air Mail Lessons.
Implied criticism Of the Army's air
mail transportation assignments
death studded episode recently the
center OF national attention--was
made in the committees report on
"air mail lessons"
The full text of this section follows:
sour air transport systems, which
include facilities for carry air mail,
have developed In the last few years
into a highly specialized business,
Airways have been developed with
landing. directional and meteorologi-
cal equipment especially designed for
said service. The air mail pilots are
men of long training and special ex-
perience in this service.
"On the other hand. our Army equip
ment, while suitable for combat work,
was not easily adaptable to airmail
work. In the same way, Army flyers
trained for military missions could not
be expected in the beginning to per-
form the duty OF carrying the mail as
efficiently as the experienced airmail
pilots. The wholly unprecedented
weather conditions in the early stages
accentuated other difficulties.
However, the Army flyers met this
duty with fidelity which does them
great credit as soldiers. After the ini-
tial period and the clearing OF the
weather the mail was carried with
special credit to the Army Air Corps.
A governmental service designed for
purely military tasks cannot perform
technical civil duties with the same
efficiency as the highly organized and
specialized service normally charged
with these duties.
Valuable as Test.
"This experience was invaluable to
the Army Air Corps. 1t afforded an
exceptional opportunity to test equip
ment, efficiency OF pilots and readiness
for emergency duties. The lessons
learned from this experience are en-
bodied in the discussions and recon-
mendations of this report. The COM
mittee feels that acceptance of the
policies and suggestions set forth in
this report viii greatly assist in cor
recting such air corps defects as we're
developed in its performance of this
mission-these relate mainly to equip
ment, lack of instruments, training
and facilities for efficient operation
under field service conditions"
The committee. headed by the war
time Secretary of War. was composed
of Karl T. Compton. president of
Massachusetts Institute of Technol-
ogy: Edgar S. Gorrel. president of the
Stutz Motor Co: George William
Lewis. director OF Aeronautical Re-
search of the National Advisory Com
mittee for Aeronauties: Clarence d.
Chamberlin and Doolittle, noted fly
ers; Mai Gen. Hugh A. Drum, deputy
chief of staff; Mai. Gen. George S.
Simonds. commandant of the Army
War College: Brig. Gen. Charles E.
Kilbourne. assistant chief of staff:
Brig. Gen. John w. Gullick and Gen.
Foulois.
Study other Nations.
The committee reported it had made
extensive studies of the national
policies of other nations and their
resulting plans and preparations for
war. as well as the complete story of
American national defense.
Confidential data on those subjects
was not made public in the report.
An analysis of the reports of IA other
boards and commissions which have
made previous aviation studies were
also considered in the findings.
1t is the hope of this committee, :"
the report said. that this survey may
be accepted as the basis for the de-
velopment Of the Army Air Corps for
the next 10 years and thus terminate
the continuing agitation and uncer-
tainty which has been so detrimental
W AA0A NSNNAOkhACAAt oAAA AAAA-
provement
''Since 1928. aviation in the United
States has made outstanding and
satisfactory progress. This is true in
all lines OF aviation, not only from
the viewpoint of design. development
and manufacture, but relative TO the
facilities for operating tranSconti-
mental and other extensive airwayS
systems.
In general aviation, the United
States leads the world, it is superior
IN commercial aviation. its naval avia-
tion Is stronger than that OF any
other power, and with more financial
support. its Army aviation can be
raised to q world position equal to
that held by our Navy"
Seas Protect United States.
The geographical position of the
United States, the report points out.
affords this country protection not
enjoyed by European nations against