Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-24
We Must Stay Ahead

The 41st annual report of the
National Advisory Committee for Aero
nautics lends some perspective to the
confused picture of American military
strength. And the comments of this
group, headed by DR.. Jerome C. HunSaker
of the Massachusetts, Institute of Tech
nology, should carry special weight. For
the NACA cannot be accused of serving
as special pleader for any branch of the
armed services or for any partisan po-
litical interest. It's annual report, one
would think, is as objective as any such
document can be.
In his letter of tranSmittal to Con-
greSS, DR.. Hunsaker spoke of past gains
and future problems. In his view, the
United States now enjoys position "of
nothing to encourage belief that we can
maintain this position without q very
great effort. Instead, he said that the de-
cisionS we make now regarding the extent
of our research effort may well prove to
be the decisive factor in this respect.
These two paragraphs from the Hunsaker
letter should be of special interest:
Today problems associated with a nu-
clear engine suitable for aircraft propulsion
and with an intercontnental ballistic missile
are perhaps the most pressing. An airplane
powered by a nuclear engine would have
range limited only by the endurance of the
crew An intercontinental ballistic missile
travelling at speeds from 10000 to $4,000
miles an hour would be extremely difficult to
intercept. Only seconds would elapse be-
tween the time such missile could be de-
tected and the time ii would reach its target
At time when the world is searching
for the means to an enduring and honorable
peace, 1t is vital that we in the United States
maintain our qualitative lead in aeronautics
and the resulting economy of effective air
power, We will do well to remember that to
maintain such lead depends on the vigor
and skill with which We press our funda-
mental and applied research
The encouraging aspect of this COM
ment-its suggestion that the Russians
have not pulled ahead of us qualitatively
is similar to statement made in Okla
homa City on January 13 by General
Twihing, Air Force Chief of Staff. Gen.
eral Twining said that in quality-quality
of planes, weapons, bases, equipment, men
and training-we have maintained our
lead in the air. But he added that we are
concerned over the rapidly improving"
quality of the Communist air force, and
he came to this conclusion: I'VE are not
in an arms race in the traditional sense.
1t has become race for quality-for
better, more effective weapons. Today We
are in good position in this race. Our
position tomorrow depends on what we
are doing now"
In other words. 1t is the decisions we
make now which will be scritical for the
future. Are we spending and planning
to spend enough, or too little? DR.. Hun
saker doesn't say. But his letter implies
a belief, and General Twining undoubt-
eddy believes, that the 1857 budget errs
on the side of allocating too little to such
things as supersonic aircraft, guided mis-
siles and atomic power. OF course, the
President and his advisers disagree, and
their judgment is apt to prevail Never
theless, the difference of opinion, consid-
ering the area 1t touches is most crit
ical one, and Congress should insist on
the fullest exploration and debate of the
various, points of view. For in this race,
however one defines it, we simply cannot
afford to fall behind.