The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-03-08

TX 4OlpN Gu hN-
velopments. since the current con-
flict broke out in Europe and since
we launched our pending defensive
campaign, without suspecting that
the old-fashioned surface fighters
incline to belittle aviation's poten-
tialities, in calling it just an arm"
He can't but wonder II they're not
simply unwilling TO admit that
they're in rapid progress toward
being out-moded-that the flyers
are Transforming their corps into
the main thing" and that pres
emily armies and navies will find
themselves as nothing but military
aviation's auxiliary arms"
For instance, isn't II significant
that when President Roosevelt, the
other day, asked congress for a
S3,s12,311,1e7 emergency supple
mentary United States army fund,
he specified that s1,412, 261 900 is
needed fc- military aviation?
That's more than one-third Of
the total. Isn't that pretty large
proportion, II aviation classes as
ar arm" alone?
The ground force advocates ar
que, to be sure, that, while flyers
can do lot Of damage and are in
valuable as observers for army and
navy tacticians. they can't be
landed on enemy soil in sufficient
numbers to occupy and hold it.
Planes Beat Poland
Nevertheless, planes were princi-
pally responsible for the Germans
conquest Of Norway, Denmark,
Holland, Belgium and occupied
France. They were the whole
show in Poland. And, on the op-
posite side, British airrnanship has
had a lot to do with Anglo
successes against Italy in Albania.
Furthermore, it may yet prove de-
cisive against the Nazis, not by
raiding their realm directly, but by
playing smash with Herr Hitler's
Balkan source of oil supplies;
without 1t -Ae-eaH!t- his -Messer-
schmitts and Heinkels. That would
cripple him-plenty.
It's problematic how effectively
planes can operate at very long
range.
The countries Der Fuehrers
craft have bombed have been
nearby his own taking-off places.
It might be different If they had to
fly the Atlantic, to bother US here.
They could get here, Of course, and
doubtless spill few pineapples.
It's highly unlikely that many OF
them would get back home, though,
or drop more parachutists than
our local police forces could deal
with re- Oily. 1t seems improbable
that that kind Of an attempted in
vaslon would work very we'll here
not as sviation's possibilities
exist now.
And yet, President Roosevelts
opinion (Which certainly must be
exceptionally we'll informed) is
that ouI safety requires more than
half as large an aviation allowance
as our surface army does.
Air Rid Shelters Asked
Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia OF
New York, as head Of our national
conference Of municipal executives.
likewise is agitating, for all he's
worth, in favor Of air raic shelters
in every important American city.
Fiorello rates as an authority on
the subject. He was an aviator in
the last World war His father
was an army man. too "a band
leader Fiorello was brought up
In an army atmosphere. What he
says as to our air perils is entitled
to consideration.
All the rest Of the worlds major
countries have aviation ministries
as If we had an aviation depart
ment, as well as war and navy de-
partments.
There's considerable talk 70 the
effect that we eegi1tt to have ere
als6.
The reason We haven't is that
our surface folk MAINTAIN that our
war and navy groups are handling
their respective aviation branches,
for their own services particular
needs, more competently than q
separate set-up could, for itself
and for them.
There's a good bit Of agitation
for triangular divorce however.
From all accounts. We need a