Evening star., 1937-05-25

olulu TO New Zealand, thus giving q
short and direct air route from San
FranciSoo to the South Pacific.
In = remarkably short space Of time
admirable AIR transportation will be
provided to all parts of the world,
bringing all races into swift and de-
pendable communication, and laying
the basis, think. for = better ap-
proach to peace among the nations
than any single agency or instrument
tality or method yet devised by man.
While the United States Il far in
advance Of all the other great na.
tions In commercial aviation, 1t Is far
behind them In war plane develop
ment.
The airplane did not figure in battle
until the great World War-l9l4 to
1918. The best combat planes in that
war had flying radius Of only 100
miles, or about as far as from Wash
1ngton, d. c., to Trenton, N. ]. Their
speed and armaments were compare
bly, very feeble. We now have bomb
ing planes with 4 radius Of 1900 miles
and formidable armaments. These
latest bombardment airplanes Of our
Army can fly 1900 miles and back
again without 4 stop and At \ speed,
under normal conditions, OF about 200
miles per hour. Fifteen hundred miles
by air Is more than half the distance
from Washington to San Francisco.
If We translate this into European
distances, using Paris as . center, one
OF these bombardment planes could
take in any point in Europe, North
Africa, Turkey, Moscow, Norway, Swe-
den, the whole Of Great Britain and
Spain and = large part Of Iceland.
And this IS not the last word in mill
tary airplanes. They will be made
swifter and more destructive as time
goes on.
One Of the significant developments
Of the day Is the race in naval and
air armaments in Europe. The great
nations there, divided Is they are by
mere artificial lines, realize that over
the land the airplane is likely to prove
the most effective and destructive
weapon in the next war. The race
for air armament, therefore, is pro-
ceeding with great intensity. Ger
many is supposed to have in commits
sion $500 military planes-the great
est air force in existence today. Rus
sia comes next with $500. Italy has
5000; France, 1000, and England
$500. Japan has 5000, while the
United States has only $500 military
planes.
The best figures available indicate
that the number Of airplanes under
construction by these nations in 1887
Is As follows: Russia frst with 5000
Germany next with 1900. then Grea,
Britain with 2.700, France with $500
Italy with 1890. Japan with 2,loo
the United States with 1,200-or 90t
less than our great Pacific neighbor.
Importance Of Planes.
1t is not, however, the number oi
airplanes which determine the all
strength Of q nation. 1t is the EN-
cheney. the speed and the armamen,
Of the craft which determines 1t.
Science and engineering skill have
combined to make such rapid develop.
ments In aircraft construction tina,
planes frequently become obso-
lete within a short time after they
have been commissioned. 1t is prob
ably true that large part Of th<
aircraft Of the United States Army
and Navy is already obsolete. To wha'
extent the air armaments OF othel
nations are obsolete there is no mean!
| Of knowing But in any case 1t il
our first duty to maintain our air ar.
maments at the highest standards O.
efficiency and effectiveness.
Intensive development Of militar,
aviation in Europe and in the Fal
East compels the United States t.
construct = formidable air armament
so that no matter what eventualit,
We may have to face, We shall be ade
quately prepared. Because the At
lantic and Pacific Oceans offer u