Evening star., 1939-10-15
Major U. 5. Interest
Seen in Canadian
Air Training Plans
America Due to Benefit
lndustriolIy, Regardless
Of Neutrality Action
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OTTAWA, Oct. 14-Canadian
cabinet ministers, who are working
in close collaboration with the Brit
ash government, describe the plans
for an air offensive force now being
launched in the Dominion as the
most significant move yet made in
the war by the allies.
And, incidentally, the plans are
recognized as inevitably possessing
a definitely major interest for the
United States, irrespective of
whether Congress adopts President
Roosevelt's proposals for revising
the United States neutrality laws.
The British Empire is to build up
Immediately world-dominating air
force and Canada is to becor.e the
air capital of the British Empire
and supply both the training ground
and the majO part of the equip
ment to lend armed wings to the
allied cause.
Minimum of 10000 Pilots.
With details still far from COM
plete, the tentative scheme is to
have the Dominion turn out mini
mum of 10000 and a maximum of
25000 air fighters annually, as we'll
as several thousand training and
fighting planes. The program en-
visages an expenditure estimated at
$3.50, 900 900 in the first year and con-
ceivably more thereafter. The Brit
ash government, Canada, Australia,
and New Zealand will be partners in
the scheme. The suggestion is that
Its cost will be borne so per cent by
the United Kingdom, Is per cent by
Canada and 121a per cent each by
Australia and New Zealand.
The entire project serves to bring
the war closer to the American con-
tinent in other ways than merely by
making Canada the reservoir of an
air effort by the Allied powers in
tended to be decisive in ending the
brings to the very doorstep of the
aviation industry of the United
States an opportunity that is highly
important in terms of employment
and markets for materials.
Long Initial Period.
While the ultimate aim of Canada
will be a self-contained aircraft in
dustry unexcelled in any other coun-
try, such goal cannot be realized
immediately. There must be fairly
long initial period during which re-
lance on imports from neutral coun-
tries will have to be extensive. The
United States is the logical source
for such purchases and both the
British Purchasing Mission and the
Canadian War Supplies Board,
which are functioning in co-opera-
ton here in Ottawa. are understood
to have contracts for aircraft and
parts ready to be awarded that will
run into hundreds of millions of
dollars.
If Congress should revise the neu-
trallty laws of the United States so
as to place contracts on a cash and
carry basis, the reaction from the
new British air program-in which
Canada has been given the leading
role-will be felt immediately. Even
If Congress, however, should reject
the Presidents program, government
circles here point out that the En-
plre's enlarged air plans still would
be of major, although less direct,
interest to the United States.
Branch-Plant Industry.
For the aircraft industry in Cam
ada is largely a branch-plant in
dustry of American parentage. And
already indications definitely fore
shadow huge expansion on the part
OF the United States subsidiaries To-
Gated here, with view to being able
to handle the large contracts that
the Allied powers are prepared to
make available as soon as produc-
ton facilities are assured.
So far as the effect of the en-
pres new air plans on Canada's
own domestic economy is concerned,
their reaction is described by gov
ernment officials as bound to be so
vast that no final estimate is DOS
sible now.
While the immediate concern is
Tor the rapid development of mill
tary aviation, officials are looking
ahead to peacetime, when Canada
Will be one of the leading nations
OF the world in air development. 1t
Is understood the empire scheme
will not be abandoned even at the
cessation of hostilities.
Immense Building Program.
The whole project will involve an
Immense building program all across
Canada. Aside altogether from the
industrial development, there must
be new flying fields, new large
hangers, new training schools and
shops, and buildings to house the
thousands who will be trained. The
influence of the scheme on Cana
dian aviation and Canadian indus
try will project far into the future
and endure long after the war ends.
For one thing, the wartime de-
velopment of the aircraft industry
In Canada may well place the Do
minion in a position to enter world
markets for aircraft on large scale
after the end of hostilities. The
plants and the technicians assem-
bled for war purposes will remain.
British Air Mission
Arrives at Quebec
QUEBEC, Oct. IA P.-An eight