Evening star., 1939-04-06
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
The primary purpose of the $780,
600, 900 Army Air Corps program is to
build up the General Headquarters
Air Force, 4-year-old combat spear
head of our air defense. This air
force. with the possible exception
of the Navy, would be the first mill
tary unit to 60 into action in case
of major conflict involving the
United States.
To build it up to the extent pro-
posed in this program, within two
years, Is an effort the real size of
which has not yet touched the con-
sciousness of the average American
citizen. 1t is program which is
going to call for teamwork on the
part of many thousands of Ameri-
can citizens, in and out of the mill
tary service.
To the average American the
Air Corps program means little
more than the purchase of some
5000 airplanes and the training of
pilots to fly them. Back of that,
however, is program of which
the general public as yet has had
little conception.
More Than Just Planes.
Airplanes alone, even though they
may be of the most modern types
and superior to any in the world
in speed, altitude, range and other
vital military requirements, do not
make an air force.
An air force, according to Maj.
Gen. Henry H. Arnold, chief of the
Army Air Corps, is balanced COM
pound of three essential ingredi-
ents-airplanes. combat and MAIN
tenance crews and air bases. All
three of these essential ingredients
must be supplied simultaneously so
that, as fast as airplanes are de-
livered, pilots will be ready to fly
them, combat crews to man them,
mechanics and technicians to MAIN
tain them, air bases to house them
and bombs and ammunition to arm
them.
The task. if carried to completion
within the proposed period of two
years. is one worthy of the best
traditions of the Army and of the
American people.
Must Meet Emergency Quickly.
An air force, like a navy, must be
not only in existence. but in full
operation when the emergency
arises. 1t Is certain to see imme-
diate action in any future major
war: its first missions probably will
be assigned within "A hours after
| hoStilitles commence For this rea
son the nation without an air force
is likely to face a possibly fatal
handicap if brought to grips with a
nation equipped with adequate air
power. Lacking an adequate air
force at the start, such country
probably never would be permitted
after hostllltieS began to build up
its air power. With no air force to
defend them. aircraft plants would
be bombed out of existence as a
primary enemy objective
There has been evidence of a
belief in the minds of many people
that the nation which posse sses the
greatest aircraft industry thereby
possesses the greatest air force. This
not only is untrue. it is likely to be
dangerous fallacy. The size and
condition of nations aircraft
manufacturing plants naturally will
have direct bearing upon its
! power to produce an air force.
From the practical standpoint, how
ever, the air power of any nation
can be measured only in terms of
the airplanes, trained men and bases
actually in existence when hostili-
| ties begin
Germany Victorious via Plane.
Germany's bloodless victories, re-
| markable in comparison with any
conquests in history by any stand l.
ards of measurement. were won not
by her aircraft manufacturing
plants and their potential output
but by combat airplanes of superior
performance actually in service,
ready to be used on a days notice
against any foe The German vic
tories unquestionably are air power
victories. even though not an air.
plane was flown against a military
objective.
Even from the standpoint of the
aircraft industry, the United States
is hopelessly outclassed today. Es-
Inmates from Europe indicate that
more than 100000 persons are en-
ployed in the German aircraft in
dustry. as compared with a total
of $1,000 in the United States
Several of our plants are virtually
empty and are able to retain only
skeleton stats of the highly trained
supervisors and foremen and skilled
craftsmen required for modern air
plane production.
Before our air defenses can be
built up, the factories must be
manned, which means that crafts
men must be trained Some of the
factories now have schools for this
purpose. but these schools also are
inadequate and must be expanded
What few commercial schools for
aviation mechanics and other tech
nicians are in existence are insuffi-
cient to supply our needs in event
of major emergency.
Foreign Orders Gear Up Industry.
Fortunately for our air defense
program, similar emergencies exist
ing in other countries have neces-
STATED the placing of large foreign
orders for combat airplanes with
American manufacturers. French
and British orders, particularly, have
permitted key plants in this country
to go into production. They have
hired and are training employees,
have opened sources of raw ma
terials and have put themselves in
shape to handle our own Air Corps
orders for large numbers of fighting
planes weeks or months earlier than
otherwise would have been possible
The Army Air Corps has in
formation which indicates that
the ultimate maximum production
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