Evening star., 1948-03-01

program.
using war surplus aircraft as re-
placements. Pound for air frame
pound, both services Are Withdraw
ing from storage and putting into
active service twice as many air.
planes as they are now receiving
new from the factories.
Surplus to Run Out About 1850.
The board estimated that the
manufacturing industry, now ad-
mittedly badly crippled through
lack of finances and inability to
hold together technical staffs and
skilled workers, could be expected
to meet expanding production re-
quirements by the time the useful
surplus is exhausted, provided the
new program is begun Immediately.
The surplus is expected to run out
about 1850. .-.--
With Senator Brewster, Republican,
of Maine, as chairman, and Repre-
sentative Hinshaw, Republican, OF
California, as vice chairman, the
board has been hearing military and
civil experts since last September.
The board also studied the testimony
before the Presidents Air Policy
Commission, which reported two
months ago.
The two reports are in general
agreement as to the need for i'm
mediate reinforcement Of the air
forces, although the congressional
body recommended a number OF Or
gsnizational changes in the Civil
Aeronautics Board, Civil Aeronau-
tics Administration and the Air CO.
Iordinating Committee, policy-mak-
ing group of departmental chiefs
concerned with aviation.
The board held that military and
civil aviation are indivisible and rec
commended steps to strengthen the
airlines and the manufacturing in
dustry, along with improved edu-
cation In schools and colleges, and
wider participation in private flying
Clarification of Duties Urged.
Board members were Senators
Hawkes., Republican, of New Jersey;
Capehart, Republican, of Indiana;
johnson, Democrat, of Colorado. and
Mcfarland, Democrat, of Arizona,
and Representatives Wolverton, Re-
publican, of New Jersey; Stefan,
Republican, of Nebraska; Bulwinkle,
Democrat, of North Carolina. and
Kilday, Democrat. of Texas.
While the report placed blame for
failure to frame the air require
ments for a unified plan of action
largely on the joint chiefs of staff
it said a conflict between the 1947
National Security 0unification) Act
and a later presidential order de-
fining the wartime roles of the
Army, Navy and Air Force was part
ly responsible. The report urged
immediate Qualification of both the
law and the order.
The board urged the military and
the Atomic Energy Commission to
give high priority to development Of
atomic propulsion for aircraft.
LlmlBdtiOn O1 ucIS Cltcu.
1t was pointed out that present
fuels have limited capacity to de-
liver atomic bombs against dis
tant enemy" and that possession OF
such q propellant would be com
parable in significance to the atomic
bomb itself"
Work on this project already has
been assigned to group OF COM
panies headed by the Fairchild
Engine SS Airplane Corp.
The report declared also that
a Federal airways system should
be established under a single civil
head to facilitate integration OF
its function with military aviation
in an emergency and study should
be made by the Government, agen-
cies charged with mobilization plan
ming to determine whether the en-
ployees of this system should have
a military reserve status.
The board said technical COM
mittee already has formulated a
plan for joint military and civil
use of airways radio facilities at
every point essential to common
operation" and the plan should be
implemented as rapidly as feasible >
The board favored establishing a
joint task group designed to with
stand an initial attack directed at
the United States, and to form the
basic organization for q strong ter
ritorial defense
In the current atomic age, the
board found, defense plans must
take into account the possibility OF
an attack without warning on our
centers of war potential. TT is i'm
perative that an air warning net