Evening star., 1934-03-15
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
In line with President Roosevelt's s
request for $10000,000 to improve the
Army Air Service, the War Depart
ment issued a statement today saying
the Army flyers should be organized,
equipped and trained to meet any
national emergency on "a hours
notice"
The statement, signed by Maj Gen.
Benjamin D. Foulois, Air Corps chief,
followed new efforts by Secretary Dern
to get Charles A Lindbergh to serve
on the special commission to study
methods of improving the Army Air
Service
Lindbergh turned down Dern's first
bid with another rebuke of the ad-
ministration for cancelling private
airmail contra cts.
The famed transatlantic flyer noti-
fled the Senate Post Office Commit
tee. however, that he would be glad
to appear tomorrow to testify on
permanent airmail legislation.
The $4,000, 900 added to the War
Department appropriation bill by the
Senate yesterday for immediate use
at President Roosevelt.s discretion
was branded by Senator Dickinson,
Republican, of Iowa, as a special
jackpot fund" and a continuation of
the "centralization Of power in the
Executive"
Scores Proposed Method.
In a statement placed in the Con-
gressional Record the Iowa Senator
said: We have facilities for the
development of the aircraft in the
Army and if We want to appropriate
additional money for that purpose
it should have been granted in the
regular way"
Frankly admitting the Army Air
Corps expected-and expects more
fatal accidents in its airmail carrying
Foulois asserted the corps. neverthe-
less, welcomed the opportunity as
necessary training for its wartime
duties.
Carrying the mail, Foulois said,
gave IAN ideal peace time test of the
Army Air Corps organization, equip
ment and training"
FouIois. now on a flying inspection
of air1nail routes in the Eastern and
Central zones. is preparing to issue
orders for resumption of airmail
flying.
The hazards involved in carrying
the airmail are not. in my belief, as
great as those normally encountered
annually by the Army combat pilots
in the normal performance of their
duties, he said.
Cites Fatality Figures.
ut may be Of interest to know that
during the fiscal year 1882, our ia
talities we're so; during the fiscal year
1888, they were As. and for the cur
rent fiscal year to include March l3,
1884. they have been 80. However,
there are still remaining three and
one-half months Of the current fiscal
year. and if the law of averages pre-
walls, the Army Air Corps and the
public must be prepared for further
fatalities.
With 25 years of flying experience
behind me. I can frankly state that
just so long as man flies, there will
be fatal accidents.
Capt Eddie Rickenbacker and Brig.
Gen. William Mitchell, former assist
ant chief of the Army Air Corps, also
accepted the Senate Post Office Com
mittees invitation to give their views
on the administration permanent air.
mail DILL.
Col Lindbergh will be here tomor-
row, Capt. Rickenbacker. Saturday.
Gen. Mitchell appeared at the meet
ing of the committee today.
Meanwhile, Post Office Department
officials said they understood the
Army would resume airmail flying on
a piecemeal basis rather than by at
tempting to reinstitute services over
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