Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-13
War Brings
Coordination
Of Air Effort
CA Work u n d e r,
Military Control
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

THIS column was an enthusi-
l. astic advocate of the Civil
Aeronautics Authority as an in
dependent agency. and objected
loud and long when IL was re-
turned 10 the bureaucratic grip
OF the department OF commerce.
At the time CAA initiated its
plan of training pilots through
private facilities l said:
First. the idea was good
one; second, the program was
not properly supervised. was
dangerous and unlikely 10 pro-
duce many military and naval
pilots who would not have 10
start all over again in the pri-
mary training of the remed
services; and. third. that n
greater degree OF coordination
between all air training institu-
tons would be a good thing.
YNHIS hodge-podge training Is
Il now thing OF the past Last
summer Gen. Donald r. Con-
molly was made military director
Of CAA, and later. as war
emergency measure. its training
activities were brought under
the supervision Of the assistant
secretary of war for air, Robert
| Lovett.
Plans are now being co-ordi-
| mated with the army air forces
for the CAA pilot training or
ganization to act as d irect
feeder TO army cadet training
1 centerS.
Age limits. physical exaRlina-
tionS and all other prerequisites
10 flying in the air forces are
matched in the CAA. and CAN !
trainees will be deferred under'
Selectipe- service -untTf rfe air
CORPS has had chance 10
choose among them.
This is not 10 say that the
CAA trainees are ready 10 do
combat flying. They are not.
Only the air forces can give
them the advanced training
which makes for an expert sky
fighter.
before the war VAC under
- took 10 arm the British
Empire, China. Russia and the
Dutch. Today we are faced
with the Job OF keeping them
armed and OF arming ourselves.
But we are also the nation 10
which the world looks for a
fresh supply Of wartime experts.
and the most needed today are
pilots.
France had little or no pilot
training before the war Eng
land got a program started just
in the nick of time.
Germany had the Jump on
everybody because il had
trained flying personnel. and Il
is generally conceded that Rus
STA was able 10 hold up the Nazi
advance. at least in large de-
gree. because OF the number Of
f1iers il had available when the
attack came.
The chief contribution Of
| CAA. however. is IN The con-
struction OF air fields The field
engineers OF CAA are now in
constant touch with the field
engineers OF the air forces 10
determine military needs and in
getting programs under way in
time to meet military require
ments.
THEY are combining their ef-
Il forts 10 the construction ot.
air fields that have been certiL
fled by the armed forces aS>
being necessary for military pur-
poses.
They work in communities 70
receive grants ~ land on which
~ construct such Air fields
secure contracts with tho COM
munitIeS 10 maintain such all
ports, do some OF the engineer
ing; and, in conjunction with
the corps Of engineers bring
about tho completion Of the
work
Al the time 7 questioned the
wisdom Of putting CAA under
tho department Of commerce. I
was accused Of being unfair, but
was never given any good rea-
sons by such a move was
made
In tho particular functions
outlined in this column. II would
seem that CAA works with the
military establishments as an
independent agency.
The war effort has brought
about the long wished for CO.
ordination between civilian and
military air activities.
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