Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-26
Well Win With Planes

THE United States will win the with alrplanes
II is getting a slow start in the war and Is
even faring badly in some of the opening phases, be-
cause Of its lack Of aIrpanes.
But it has more facilities for building airpanes
than any other nation.
Il has more materials with which to build airpancs
1t has greater supply Of mechanics engineers ana
scientists.
1t has greater potential supply of pilots nayi-
gators and technicians.
And since tho most and best airpanes Will be the
deciding factor in the war the United states viii very
surely win the war.
As Mr.. WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST wrote in
\ his column. In the News recently
we are going to make bombing planes which are
upto-date and which will be ready today and tomorrow
And no nation combination can make airplanes
aS fast and formidaby our nation
And people fly and fight them as 'flec-
lively American boys.
Ii is somewhat to be regretted Of course, that the
United States is not in position to START TINS war
with an advantage in the instead OF disadvantage
But there is much encouragement than dis
enlargement in the situation.
The Congress as Mr. Hearst has noted, has decided
to divert substantial appropriations from the building
of huge but decidedly vulnerable bateshps to the build
inc of much cheaper and much more useful battle planes
Moreover the President has moved vigorously and
with dispatch to install air-mnded and air-trained off
GERS in the high commands of both army and navy.
and let us hope very qucky-be fighting the war where
it will be won and with the adequate forces and equip
ment essential 10 victory
r ENERAL MITCHELL warned the United States
" long time ago of course, that its next would
be fought and in the air
All of the conspicuous engagements of the war IN
Europe have supported his predictions
The early German bltzkriegs were made possible
by air superiority.
The British notification of Italian naval power
accomplished by the alrplane assault on laramie.
The Naz super -battleship Bismarck was made ready
for the kill by arplanes.
Crete conquered by airpanes and air-borne
troops
And now in our own American with Japan, so
recently begun and holly contested we have lost one
and perhaps capital ships to the Japanese and the
Japanese have lost and perhaps two capital ships
to us-al accounted for by airplanes.
q UTE obviously, the Congress is very wise in put
ting emphasis on quickly built and comparatively
cheapy built apanes instead of upon ponderous battle
ships which Mr. Hearst says take hve years 10 bund
and five minutes to sink.
Just as obviously the President is very wise in put
ting experienced aviation officers IN the high commands
supplanting ground and surface officers whose ideas
obsolete their equipment.
Since the issue between the United States and Japan
will be decided in the air and since the United States
build thousands of airplanes while Japan is build
ing hundreds of the United States will win the
We might have the easily and quickly
might have avoided entlrey-by having pre-
ponderant air superiority from the start.
But nothing futile as dwelling upon what might
have been and clear and wise and patriotic
is to take full and swift advantage of what possible
and what MUST BE DONE.