The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-05-08
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Washington, d. C.

subcommittee that inspected terri
torial bases.
Written by Rep. James G. Scrug-
ham Of Nevada, chairman Of the
group, the report recommends the
immediate creation Of an 'inde-
pendent air force" This would be
intended to correct two chief
abuses:
Cd The location Of army and navy
bases almost side by side in fat,
unprotected country. thus inviting
destruction by enemy bombs" (2)
Failure to build hangers. repair
shops and other facilities under
ground.
Regarding the first criticism the
Scrugham report states: This
policy of concentrating highly essen
tial military or industrial struc-
lures in very limited areas cannot
be too strongly condemned. and
may constitute ar error Of gravest
consequences. This is as true in our
territorial as we'll as our continental
defenses.
THE lesson Of the destruction Of
the Polish air force by the Germans
at the beginning Of the war seems
to have gone entirely UNDECIDED (by
the aeronautic bureau chiefs re-
sponsible). In a fiat country, pro-
tected air facilities may be imprac-
teal, but where there + adjacent
hills, it seems inexcusable to DELHI
erately build . . bases invitingly
located for bombing attacks, and so
close together that an enemy plane
can hit one If it misses the other.
Everywhere the story is the
same. from Hawaii to Puerto Rico.
from Alaska to the Virgin Islands,
Jamaica and Trinidad. Also, no
adequate plans have been formulat-
ed for water reserves, except to con
tract for drilling a few wells. with
grave uncertainties as to quality
and quantity"
Scrugham's conclusions are that
a tragedy Of the first magnitude"
may develop unless immediate
steps + taken to rectify conditions
at the territorial bases. His solu-
ton is the Capitalization of all mill
tary air forces under a single head
with cabinet rank.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AIR
One of the significant differences
between the war and navy depart
ments is the hostility Of navy brass
hats to civilian scrutiny and control
Of their operations.
Deciding that the vastly expanded
army air corps needed a central di-
recting head. Stimson and Patter-
son selected Robert Lovett, New
York banker and World war ace,
for the job and had the President
appoint him. There was no inter-
ference from the generals, and air
corps chiefs are working harmoni-
ously and effectively with their new
civilian boss.
Navy brasshats, on the other
hand. are fighting tooth and nail to
block a similar civilian intrusion
into their gold-braided realm.
Through high-powered lobbying op-
erations in the house, the admirals
wormed into the So, 500, 600. 900 navy
appropriation bill a provision that
would make it impossible to name
an assistant secretary for air.
The prohibitive clause is a very
slick piece of axing. On its face
it has no connection with the pro-
posed civilian appointee. It merely
bars the expenditure Of navy funds
for any additional positions . .
at a rate Of compensation in excess
of SIS, 900 a year." The pay for al
assistant secretary is $4,000 a year.
TOUGH DRAFT BOARDS
The problem Of industrial man.
power has become so acute that de-
tense chiefs have complained to Sc
lective service officials that some
local boards are too tough" about
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