Evening star., 1935-01-09
step toward modernised national

A step toward moderniSed national
defense is welcomed by the press in
the United States Army's centrsliza-
ton of command for the aviation
branch of that service. An equivalent
Of nearly q thousand planes, dis
tributed at three regional division
points, the whole under direction OF
the general staff, with Lieut.. Col.
Frank M. Andrews as commander,
is the Army's air force at the outset
of the reorganization. "Centraliza-
tion, as well as expansion, is the
aim," says the Long Beach (Calif)
Press Telegram. The Pacific Coast
has large interest in this develop
ment. The first of three main wings
for the Nation as a whole will be
based at Hamilton Field, near San
Rafael. with q bombardment group
at Rockwell Field. San Diego, and an
attack group at March Field, River
side. Placement of the main wings
in Virginia, Texas and California is
a logical distribution. Especially with
subgroupS at other points, every part
of the coasts of the United States
may be covered by the air forces Of
the Army within q very short time.
Now supplement this excellent ar
rangement by increasing numbers Of
powerful. speedy planes. Then criti-
ciSms of the inadequscy of air de-
fenSe will cease"
The plan tends" according to the
Rochester Times Union, Ito meet the
arguments of those who contend that
the air arm of the defense eStab-
hShment should be q separate unit"
The Times Union adds that 'the
present state of aircraft development
exactly suits the defense require
ments of the United States" The
Pittsburgh PoSt-Gazette recognizes
that "modernization of this country's
military establishment really begins
with organization of the General
Headquarters Air Force" and that
paper concludes: High mobility IS
the special advantage claimed for this
new Set-up. The commander OF the
force, Lieut.. Col. Frank NJ. Andrews,
will work from operating headquarters
at Langley Field, Va.-'away from
WaShington,' as the Baker board
recommended-and elements at the
various Army fields will be under his
orders. Swift concentration of forces.
an sminently desirable ability, Will
be easy"
Until now" it is pointed out by
the New Haven Journal Courier, the
elements which go to make up the
air force have been dispersed about
the country under the commanding
generals Of nine corps areas" The
Schenectady IN. " Gazette declares
that battle planes can now be shifted
almost overnight from one section to
the other" The Buffalo Times feels
that the plan should strengthen this
army of defense and give 1t a chance
to develop" The Dayton (Ohio)
Herald states that although there
seems little likelihood that unifica-
ton of our air services will be un-
dertaken, q greater degree of CO.
ordination Is In order"
THE change is . significant ad-
vance" says the Indianapolis News.
whether this will meet the objec.-
tions of the faction that desires q
single air defense force can not be
foretold, for the War Department has
not said that this group was con-
suited. The new force detail falls
short of their demand In that 1t merely
unif1es the Army aviation arm. They
wish to combine the whole air de-
tense, including the Army, Navy and
Marine Corps. However, the change
Is an interesting concession on the
part of higher staff officers. Since
the. war they have revised their views.