Evening star., 1934-11-18
NATIONAL CAPITAL FOUND
DEFENSELESS FROM AIR
No Military Weakness in National De-
Tense Chain Unknown to Forei On
Governments.

anti-aircraft batteries of modern de-
sign and served by trained body of
officers and men.
| But Washington has no batteries
Of modern anti-aircraft guns, nor is
there available trained personnel for
| operation.
With a reasonably efficient intelli-
| gence service along the Atlantic sea-
board 1t Is most probable q large air
force would be discovered by the enor-
nous hum Of its whirring propellers,
and warning broadcast which
would reach Washington among other
cities.
But of what value would the warn
| ing be to city without means to de-
fend itself At this point Mr.. Citizen
might well demand: "Wel, haven't
we got anything?"
Only Old Guns on Hand.
Yes. Washington has one battalion
of old trailer mount guns, relics Of
the World War, and totally ineffective
against the modern airplane bombers
of today. The outfit is used by the
260th National Guard organization of
the District, and Is hardly suitable
for even practice.
If there continues to be doubt as
to Washington's most deplorable de-
fenseless condition the answers Of
Maj. D. D. Eisenhauer of the Army
General Staff, should convince the
most skeptical.
In your opinion is Washington
amply protected against destruction by
airplane bombing?"
He replied, No"
Admitting the effectiveness of anti
| aircraft units as a composite whole
against bombing planes. have we suf-
f1cient batteries of modern anti-air-
craft guns with which to protect
Washington against a surprise at
tack?"
He answered I'VE have not"
Has the Regular Army a sufficient
number of trained anti-aircraft men
to operate all the modern batteries
necessary to protect Washington
against destruction, without taking
them from other important defenses?"
The reply was, mo"
New York Plan Applicable.
The anti-aircraft defense is a part
OF the Coast Artillery service. Mai.
Gen. Hase, chief of Coast Artillery.
when asked what would be a necessary
system to protect Washington against
an air raid that might blot out the
city, said he had laid out a system
for the city of New York which was
equally adaptable to the Capital.
The plan calls for 100 of the latest
model anti-aircraft guns, with COM
plements OF batteries of powerful
searchlights, sound detectors, range
finders, automatic loading devices for
the large guns, and the most scientific
fire control
The cost Of such system of defense
as worked out by Gen. Hase, and based
on population of 100000, was CAL
culated at SITS per person. which, if
applied to the present population of
Washington, would be about s875 900
Under this plan Gordon would be
established about the city, extending
in all directions, miles from the CITY
limits. The Gordon would be formed
OF 100 guns distributed in 25 batteries
Of four guns each. BY this method
enemy air attackers could be moved
down by the anti-aircraft fire before
they crossed the Gordon line, or driven
OF and compelled to return to their
carriers.
Meanwhile, the American Air Corps
would arrive on the job with pursuit
planes and American bombers. BY
following the surviving enemy planes,
which Of necessity would have to re-
turn to the carriers or come down for
fuel, the carriers would be located and
destroyed, together with the raidins
! planes.