The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-16
BAILEY SAYS HE
WILL SEEK WORK
ON AIRPORT HERE
Continued From Page One)

ON AIRPORT HERE
Continued From Page One)
familiarize himself better with the
situation in Southeastern North
Carolina.
wilmington would be a fine de-
parture for soldiers going south, as
well as any other point along the en-
tire South Atlantic coast, and in
some respects its advantages are bet
ter.
Port Has Advantage
"The port here has the general
advantage of being an inland port,
which can be defended better than
ports along the coast. The farther
a port is inland the better it can be
protected provided there is sufficient
depth of water and width of chan
nel," declared Senator Bailey.
Very much interested in pro-
posed airport Improvements local
ly, the states senior senator said
he would favor the full develop
ment Of the Port of Wilmington as
long as he was a member of the
U. S. Senate.
In the event the U. S. army car
ried forward proposals for til e
establishment of military highways
linking other parts of the country
with Fort Bragg, Senator Bailey
said he would favor proposals for
linking the fort with Wilmington
and Southport, as present high
ways are not adequate to carry the
heavy tanks and other modern
mechanical equipment.
Efforts to secure a 32-foot chan.
mel for the Cape Fear river have
not at all been abandoned as yet,
he said, and there are hopes that
a project for deepening of the riv-
er to even IS feet can be success
fully carried forward.
Among projects to be inspected
on the start of hi scurrent tour
are the Wilmington harbor, and the
Southport harbor and channel. He
will later make an inspection Of
projects in progress along the in.
tracoastal waterway and inlets be-
tween the Cape Fear river a n d
Beaufort Inlet.
Anxious To Be Posted
Anxious to be posted o. the needs
of Wilmington and vicinity, with
particular reference to defensive
measures desired on either the wa
tiers or by means of land arma-
ment. Senator Bailey said he in
tended on the present trip to be-
come better acquainted with &C
tual conditions.
1.-The modern defense Of Jul CT.
ties and ports is yet to be deter
mined. Mobile defense measures
are needed in place Of stationary
defense units such as forts, shore,
and antiaircraft guns. A mobile de-
tense is becoming more and more
important.
1.-The whole theory Of modern de-
tense is being wrought out in the
light of present experiences in the
European war. London has found
that a fort is not necessary, but
superior men and airplanes are
essentials for defense" pointed out
Senator Bailey.
The problem of modern defense
for our country is in a r o r t S,
where facilities are available, and
men and planes for total defense
in the air over our cities and ports,
he said. 4
With emphasis on the need Of
airports, airplanes, and pilo.o in
connection with the furtherance Of
the national defense setup, Sena'
tor Bailey explained, IT shall be
for whatever is necessary for the
defense of the United States"
General j. L. Schley, chief Of
the U. S. army engineer crops,
spoke very highly of Lieut.. Co
Gillette, who was recently ordered
transferred to a fort in Virginis
from his duties as Wilmington dis.
trict army engineer, during a re-
cent conversation in Washington,
he said.
Commenting on his first trip to
North Carolina in nearly a year,
Senator Bailey said he noticed that
things were prosperous in the state
with reference to farming condi-
tons in general. 2