Evening star., 1940-06-06

OBSTACLE. camps and cantOnmentS
would have to be provided and
kept up. The boys would have
to be clothed and fed and provided
with arms The last, however, would
not have to be renewed every year.
The money expended would be ex-
pended in the interest of a sounder,
healthier and harder citizenry, bet
ter disciplined. From present indi-
cations the United States is going
to need such citizenry, and need
1t badly, for many years to come.
The proposal for universal mill
tary training Is long grange propo-
sition-not merely for the present
emergency need of increased ma
tlonal defense. But it can we'll be
put into effect along with the
emergency program. And once this
long-range program has been estab-
lished, the days of emergencies will
be on the decline.
Air Strength Big Need.
One OF the most pressing needs
the country faces is the upbuilding
OF its air strength. 1t needs thou
sands more planes and thousands
more pilots and men trained for
ground service with the air forces.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority has
just announced greatly increased
program of training. 1t proposes to
provide for the primary training of
$4,000 new pilots by July l, l941.
The current program will result in
turning out 9,8l0 new pilots by
June 80 next. The training given
the boys and young men by the c.
A. A. is primary" 1t is of great
value, OF course, but it does not
mt man to fight an Army plane or
a Navy plane, or to handle
bomber. The civil pilots before they
can be of actual value to the armed
forces, will have to undergo a much
more extensive training. with
armored planes. The air forces re-
quire thousands of additional pilots
President Roosevelt in a recent
message to Congress suggested the
need Of $4,000 airplanes. The figures
sound a bit fantastic and the pro-
1esslonal military men believe the
country can get along and defend
itself and the Western Hemisphere
with many less. 1t is clear. however
that the country is going into air
defenses in big way.
In the past it has been a practice
IN the military forces. to insist upon
a college education as a prerequisite
Tor becoming a pilot, and pilots
nave, except in few cases. been
commissioned officers. There is grow
ing a feeling however. that college
education has not great deal to do
with lighting military plane; that
many boys who never get to college
are just as capable of such service.
and some of them more so, than the
boys who complete a college educa-
ton. Education is necessary-par-
tlcularly If there is involved the
matter of navigation-but a high
school education seems certainly
sufficient. Nor is it entirely neces-
sary that pilots must be commits
stoned officers. Germany's mass
production of planes and pilots for
its military forces has taught the
world several lessons.
The office of education in the In
terror Department estimates that
lO2673 men will have received COL
lege degrees during 1910. No attempt
has been made to break the number
down into groups of native born,
foreign born and racial attributes.
A very large number of these young
men undoubtedly are not qualified
for flying or for handling military
planes
Universal training necessarily must
become in large degree selective,
with the boys trained for services for