Evening star., 1947-05-26

bombs to any quarter OF the globe.
The answer to this Is that. while
the United States may have planes
this month or this year, those same
planes may be obsolete and sur
passed by the airplanes Of some
other country. America a year
hence may be in the same relative
position as on the day of the Pearl
Harbor attack.
Unless research and designing Is
maintained and standby facilities
are kept available, the air power
of the United States is more theo-
retical than real.
The real story Of Pearl Harbor is
q story of the dearth of airplanes.
Even II an alert had been sounded
In Hawaii and the Philippines, the
United States had neither the naval
aircraft carriers nor the land-based
planes adequate to defend those
bases or to carry the war to the
enemy.
No War Warning Expected.
II it had not been for the orders
placed by the British and French
governments In 1889 and 1910, the
United States would not have had
any military aircraft facilities what
soever when war broke out with
Japan. In the next war, there may
not be the two years of warning as
there was this last time and hence,
unless the United States assures it
self of airplane facilities that can
turn out the latest type OF military
aircraft, Asnerica's billions for all
other defense weapons and services
may be proved wasted.
The problem has been somewhat
complicated by the injection of a
sort of overall or lump sum budget
idea for the armed services. This
is one of the unfortunate by-prod-
ucts Of the controversy over unfit
cation. The fact is that the needs
OF the Navy, for instance, are one
thing and the needs of the Army
Air Forces are quite another. Each
service should be given what it
really needs to assure American
security. irrespective of the needs
OF the other.
The Army will need planes and
30 will the Navy but they will need
different types. Neither Army nor
Navy aviation, however, Is going
to have anywhere to 60 for new
planes unless the United States
Government takes immediate steps
TO preserve military production in
the aircraft industry.
The competition in military air.
craft is keen. Foreign governments
do not publish bulletins telling Of
their progress In research. The de-
signing of engines for planes is not
the same for war purposes as for
passenger travel. The requirements
of fighter planes are different from
those Of long-range bombing air
craft. These are simple truths IA
miliar to airmen but not to the
general public, which supposes that
all that Is needed to win a war is
lot Of money. and lot OF indus
trial plants that can be converted
instantly to wartime needs.
Companies Need Contracts.
This is a false assumption. Air
craft companies that make planes
for peacetime uses have no reason
to carry on research on military
weapons to be used in air warfare
unless they have contracts and or
ders from the Government Specifi-
cally asking them for that kind OF
product.
The private manufacturers have
no more or less responsibility than
any other citizens to provide facili-
ties than can be used in wartime
This is task for the military and
naval and aerial experts of the
armed services. Above all, 1t is a
task for the commander in chief,
who can request from Congress that
certain sums be set aside for mill
tary aircraft development.
This can be arranged on cost
plus basis or by negotiated con-
tracts as was the case during war
time. But unless the Government
itself insists that research and even
production of certain types of mill
tary aircraft be carried on each
year and that certain standby facil-
tiles be provided from among the
surplus war plants, the defense Of
the United States may be imperil-
led and our power to repel the atom
bomb attacks of another country re-
duced to an alarming point Of weak
ness.
Army and Navy officials have
been worried about this question and
had a secret session recently with
aircraft manufacturers to discuss the
whole problem. Unless, however,
Congress takes kindly to the idea
and something by way of special
earmarking of defense funds for this
purpose is accomplished, valuable
time will be lost while, as reports
from abroad already indicate, other
nations step up their research and
production of military aircraft.
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