The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-04-21
Tests and Research
Keep America Ahead
In Grim Competition
By BARROW LYONS
WNU washington Correspondent

American facilities for devel-
oping new models Of military
airplanes are being enlarged,
and new personnel is being
added to avoid a tragic thing
that has happened on several
occasions. New models Of planes
have been sent into battle before
they were thoroughly tested in
the laboratories of the national
advisory committee for aero
nautics, one of the government
agencies least known because
most of its work has been secret,
but one which has made as great
a contribution toward winning
the war as any civilian agency.
In a determined effort to gain
mastery of the air and save thou
sands Of lives by Fastening victory,
by further improving the perform
ance of American aircraft the NACA
soon will increase its present staff
Of about 5000 technicians by $500
additional men and women. The
staff at Langley Field, Va, which
has the largest staff, will be In
creased by about $50. The Cleve-
land laboratory will get about $50
new employees, and the research
staff at Moffett Field, Calf, near
Palo Alto, will be increased by about
CS0 mora fechnicians
The nation depends upon the men
and women who staff these labora-
tories more than any others to keep
ahead of the Nazi scientists in de-
signing aircraft that will take and
hold control Of the skies. II the
Germans were to design aircraft that
could outfly and outshoot our own
and those responsible for American
aircraft design declare that POSSIBLE
ity exists-the war in the air over
Europe might come to stalemate.
The army and navy have recog-
nized the supreme Importance Of
these laboratories by giving their
employees special draft considera-
ton. They are indicted into the
army, and then transferred as in
active reservists. They are always
on call for active duty; but they do
not wear uniforms and they receive
civilian pay and United States Civil
Service status.
Junior Engineers Needed.
At present there are needed aero
nautical, mechanical and electrical
engineers of junior grade. They re-
ceive $2,400 year. Physicists,
mathematicians and naval archi-
tects of the same grade are needed.
Craftsmen, such as instrument max
ers, tool makers, electricians, met
alsmiths, pattern makers and air.
plane mechanics are needed. They
receive prevailing rates OF govern
ment pay on an annual basis.
Women may qualify for variety
of positions. Those with skill in
mathematics and physics are as
signed to research projects, while
those with training as stenographers,
typists and clerks are also needed.
But the committee is not looking
today for just ordinary help. The
projects which these people are
working on are among the most vital
to war success, and the committee
is looking only for unusual young
men and women, who can be adj
vanced as vacancies occur-people
whose loyalty and intelligence and
ability can be depended upon.
The committee was born in the
last war from the necessity Of our
armed services for airplanes that
could compete with those of the enc
my. When war broke out in Europe
in 1914, leadership in aircraft devel-
opment had passed from American
hands. In March, 1915, congress au-
thorized an advisory body to be ap-
pointed by the President and to
serve without compensation.
Membership, increased from IL to
IS in 1929, included heads of mill
tary, naval and civil aeronautical
organizations Of the government, Of
the bureau of standards, the weather
bureau, and the Smithsonian insti-
tuition, and specially qualified MEM
bers from civil life. The chairman
is elected annually. The paid staff
is headed by DR.. George w. Lewis,
director of aeronautical research,
and by John F. Victory, secretary
of the committee, who directs its
administrative work.
The first appropriation was $4,000
a year for five years. With that
meager start the committee set
about regaining for America posi-
ton Of leadership in military flying.
The NACA emerged from World War
/ with a research laboratory build
ing at Langley Field, and with its
first wind tunnel under construction.
With appropriations of about $780,
600 year in the era Of disarma-