Evening star., 1939-02-20
Arnold Warns
u. 5. TO- Speed
Air Defense.
Urges Avoidance Of
Mistake Made by
Britain, France
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

The United States must arm for
air defense Immediately, Maj. Gen.
Henry H. Arnold, chief of the Army
Air Corps, told delegates from 80
national organizations to the Ma
tional Aviation Forum at luncheon
session today at the Mayfower
Hotel The United States must not
make the same mistake that France
and England made. he said, explain
ing that strong air force is abso-
lutely necessary to keep war out of
America.
Gen. Arnold promised that the
Presidents air defense program will
be carried out to the last detail
and on time" If Congress provides
the necessary authorization and ap-
preparation.
I'VE are ready to start-our plans
are perfected: our machinery is
oiled; it but remains for Congress
to throw the SWITCH the general
said.
Address Broadcast.
Il advise our Nation to arm for.
air defense Immediately. France
and England must now realize that
they began too late Let Us not
make that mistake. Please bear in
mind much time is required to build
up an airforce. 1t cannot be done
overnight-18 months are required
to reach quantity production in
planes, 2 years are required to train
personnel to make them competent
to handle our complicated aircraft.
Delay in beginning will make for
undue haste to catch up, and fren-
zied haste makes for waste and ex-
travagance.
Il urge then that all remember
this: A strong airforce may go a
long way toward keeping America
out of war; also a strong airforce
is absolutely vital in keeping war
out Of America"
Gen. Arnold's address was broad
cast over nationwide hook-up
system Of the National Broadcast
ing Co.
The aviation mechanic was char
acterized as the forgotten man of
the national defense program" by
c. S. Casey" Jones. operator of
famous aviation training center. Mr..
Jones predicted that women of the
United States may be called upon
in a national emergency to perform
standardized aircraft manufacture
ing operations, but that "only
properly trained mechanic can keep
fighting planes aloft."
Gill Roy Wilson Speaks.
He urged that the work of the
Army's technical schools be supple
mented by Federal encouragement
OF civilian schools which now grad
uate pproximately 5000 mechanics
a year. These schools can be ex-
panded to train 10000 airplane crew
chiefs and f1rst-line mechanics
year, he said. Mr.. Jones opposed
Army training of more than frac-
ton" OF mechanics for war needs.
declaring that Americans won't
stomach putting boys in uniform
or under some initial category to
make them mechanics"
Gill Robb Wilson of Trenton. N. j.,
wartime flyer and chairman of the
Joint Aviation Council, said in a
prepared address that the United
States has the finest airplanes in the
world.
Our aeronautical engineers" he
said. have produced the finest
equipment in the world"
1T is less than justice to them
to let the least hint of hysteria, in
light of the growing tension and re-
armament race in Europe, creep into
the minds of the American people"
At the opening morning session,
Representative Randolph Jennings
OF West Virginia told the delegates
that the United States must look
closely to its air strength if it is to
guarantee its liberty and discharge
its obligations to future genera
tions.
Oceans no longer constitute bar
rlers upon which any country can
rely for safety, Mr.. Randolph said,
and there no longer is any hope for
security except in airpower, which
must be built up in times of peace.
Evident, indeed, it is that a
desperate urge for peace has mott
waited many people and many states
men during the stirring events of
the past year" Mr.. Randolph said.
But evident equally it is that the
growth of the air power has con-
tributed more than any single factor
to the seeming inevitability of war,
a war the disaster and terror of
which SllrnaSe tho x,,act 6a.l;.l.