Evening star., 1949-05-31
Gossip, Doubt ond the Air Force


Critics OF the United States Air Force
procurement program have voiced so many
doubts and innuendoes in connection with
the giant B-36 intercontinental bomber
that all parties concerned-including the
American people-have reason to welcome
an investigation more or less along the
lines. of the one advocated by Chairman
Vinson OF the House Armed Services Com
mittee.
The innuendoes revolve primarily around
three men-Floyd Odlum, chairman of the
Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company,
which produces the B-36; Defense Secre-
tary Louis johnson, until recently d.
rector and legal representative OF that
company; and Air Force Secretary Stuart
Symington, an ardent and militant be-
never in the offensive qualities of the
controversial superbomber.
What the innuendoes suggest-without
directly saying so-is that the decision to
equip the USAF with heavy striking force
made up chiefly of B-36s may have been
Influenced In some way by % Mr.. john
sons former association with Consolidated
vultee, (0 his key fund-raising role in the
last Democratic presidential campaign,
90 Mr.. Odlum's financial contribution to
that campaign and a. a number of visits
Mr.. Symington Is supposed to have made
to Mr.. Odlums home in California. In
other words, stated more bluntly, the sug-
gestion is that political shenanigans may
account in part for the fact that the Air
Forc4 in order to concentrate on the B-36,
has cancelled or sharply cut back con-
tracts worth hundreds of millions Of dol
lars to other companies manufacturing
other types of bombers.
OF course, all this smacks of the kind
of backstairs gossiping that thrives on
putting two and two together to make a
juicy, sensational but not factual five.
Actually, the probability Is that the
insinuations, on inspection, will be found
to be as groundless as they are ugly. The
basic decision on the B-36 and the can
collation. OF orders for other types was
made last January with the approval of
the Joint Chiefs of STAFF, Defense Secre-
tary Forrestal and the President. Never
theless, although that fact would seem to
be enough in itself to blast away the in
nuendoes, the latter have been circulated
so widely that they may weaken public
confidence in the top direction Of the Ma
tional Military Establishment unless they
are definitely knocked down and thor
oughly discredited through the process of
quiry.
Apart from the innuendoes, moreover,
the atmosphere needs to be cleared of the
doubts that have been raised regarding
the B-36 itself. In view of what its per-
sistent critics have been saying, the aver
age American can hardly help being con-
fused. Who Is right and who wrong? Are
we over-investing in something that may
be obsolete in the next few years? Has a
mistake been made in cancelling orders
for other types? Is it true, despite Air
giant bomber can be intercepted at 10000
feet and shot down by fighter craft now
in existence2 Have we recklessly put all
our eggs in one basket? And ought we to
reconsider the present policy to determine
whether or not 1t is too rigid when 1t rules
out such things as supercarriers?
In all probability, If it conducts we'll
ordered investigation, Congress can get
fairly definitive answers to these and SIM
liar questions. In some respects of course,
military aviation, like atomic energy, in
wolves matters too secret to be touched
upon In public hearings. Even 50, within
the limits OF security, it should be possible,
by means of such hearings, to put an end
to any public confusion caused by the
recent outcropping Of gossip and doubt
regarding the Air Force.