Evening star., 1947-08-02

peace in which air power would be
a most important factor was out
lined last night by Secretary Of
Commerce Hartman in an address
at the Air Force Day dinner in the
Hotel Statler.
The banquet was sponsored by the
Air Force Association and the Aero
Club of Washington to honor the
United States Air Force. It ended
an all-day program which saw the
Air Force here and throughout the
Nation, as we'll as overseas, celebrate
its new independant status and the
10th anniversary of its establish
ment as the Army Air Corps.
In outlining his views, Mr.. Harri-
man pointed out that adequacy of
defense" means adequacy for
counter offense" and that we should
not "be deluded into believing that
we can rest content upon our indus
trial potential"
Up-to-Date Force Urged.
He said that, If We would have an
air force as an instrumentality for
keeping the peace, as well as an
adequate instrument of war. We
must keep such force adequate
and up-to-date.
He also emphasized the impor-
tance of keeping a rotated reserve OF
modern aircraft and equipment
sufficient to supply requirements
until industry can be expanded to
meet the needs of an emergency
and urged maintenance of training
program for Air Force flying and
ground personnel.
In addition, Mr.. Hartman sug-
gested maintaining "a vigorous and
healthy" aircraft manufacturing in
dustry with sufficient current orders
to provide a minimum capacity and
capable of rapid expansion.
He urged also that support be
given all necessary research and de.
velopment to sustain the momentum
of scientific and technical advance
Referring to those who might
have aggressive intentions either
toward weaker nations or ourselves
Mr.. Hartman declared: "They know
too, as we know. that such an ali
force is powerful inhibition against
aggression, since it would almost in.
simultaneously bring down upon the
head of the aggressor an awful retri-
button"
Spaatz Speaks.
Gen. Carl Spaatz, commanding
general of the Army Air Forces, tolc
the meeting the United States must
rely on properly balanced forces or
land, sea and in the air as the true
index to strength.
There seems to be a tendency or
the part of some writers of the day
to confuse a monopoly of atomic
bombs with security" he said. 1--WE
know such assumptions to be false
In the present state of technical
advance it is probable that a nation
having a monopoly of atomic bombs
but without adequate and properly
balanced forces of all arms would be
an easy victim of an aggressor who
had powerful striking forces of the
orthodox types, including heavy
bombers, but not a single atomic
bomb"
Among the prominent guests al
the banquet were w. Stuart Sym.
ington. Assistant Secretary of Wal
for Air; Air Chief Marshal Sir A
Guy r. Garrod, head of the British
Air Delegation to the United States
and Raj representative to the
United Nations; Fleet Admiral Will.
liam D. Leahy, chief of staff to the
President; 1t. Gen. ]. Lawton Col
lins, director of information for the
War Department; Admiral Dewitt
c. Ramsey, deputy chief of naval
operations, representing Fleet Ad-
miral Chester Nimitz, who was i'll
and Maj. Gen. Carl c. j. Forslev
air attache from Denmark and dean
of air attaches in Washington.
Pogue, Eaker Present.
Also L. Welch Pogue, chairman OF
the board, National Aeronautic Asso-
citation; Emory S. Land, president OF
the Air Transport Association; Theo-
dore P. Wright, administrator OF
the Civil Aeronautics Administra-
ton; Oliver P. Echols, president OF
Aircraft Industries Association; Ira
C. Eaker, former lieutenant general
and deputy commander of the AAF
now retired; Jesse M. Hadley, presi-
dent of the Aero Club of Washing
ton, who presided; James H. Doo-
little, president of the Air Force
Association, and master of cere-
monies, and Representatives Lea
Democrat, and Hinshaw, Republican
both of California.