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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0467.PDF
Flight, May 2, 191S. PA* &AIFICF&FTB/VGIMEEFb : 13. : v Fir»t A«ro Weekly i* the World. J - /v Founder and Editor i STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal 4«TOU4 to th« IaUrattt, Praetu*, aad Progrett of Aerial Loeomotioa a»4 Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 488. (No. 18, Vol. X.) MAY 2, 1918. L Part *n«, 7d.6d. FlirfHt. TA# Aircraft Engineer. Editorial Office 1 3«, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KIKGSWAY, W.C. a. • Telegrams : Traditnr, Westcent, Loadoa. Telephone: Gerrurd iBaB. Annual Subscription Ratei, Post Free. " United Kingdom ... iZs. td. Abroad... ... .. 33s. od. CONTENTS. Editorial Comment: > ° • PAG> Lord Rothermere's Resignation .. .. .. .. .. .. 465 The New Air Minister 466 The Political Incubus 6 Shades of W. S. Gilbert.. .. 467 Honours .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ., .. .. .. 469 The Fokker Triplane (with scale drawings) 472 The Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 7 The R.F.C. Hospital Gramophone Fund „ 478 The Roll of Honour 478 The Modern Aeroplane. By F. S. Barnwell, Captain, R.F.C 479 Trade Parliaments and their Work.—II .. .. .. .. .. ..481 Airisms from the Four Winds The British Air Services Personals Aviation in Parliament The Air Force Debate Aircraft Work at the Front. Official Information SideWinds Correspondence Company Matters 482 48s 487 489 490 494 495 496 496 " Newspapers are an essential part of our war organisation."— (Sir Auckland Geddes, Minister of Nation al Service.) lT is impossible to view the retirement of Lord Rothermere from the post of Secretary of State of the Air Force with anything but the most profound regret. Not only is it a matter for regret that the Air Force has lost a most capable head, but the circum- stances immediately anterior to his re- tirement were such that a most misleading impression of the reasons prompting his resignation is almost bound, as a matter of course, to becomeLord prevalent until his own explanation is publicly given. In his letter of resigna- tion, addressed to the Prime Minister, l&rd Rothermere, it is true, gives reasons which are aji-sufficient to those who know under what circum- stances he has lately conducted the business of fusing together what were, until a month ago, two separate Services. But the uninformed majority will be sure to see another case of " diplomatic illness," and will continue to believe the stories that have been—Mid are still being—told of friction and chaos at the Air Ministry. Therefore it will be a real advantage to the country to have Lord Rothermere's own account of the circumstances which have led up to recent changes in the personnel of the Air Council, with his assurance that these have had nothing at all to do with his own retirement at a time when his services are still badly needed by the Air Service and the State. So far, despite the Premier's explanation, we have heard nothing authoritative at all about the changes to which we refer, but rumour has been busy with the usual disquieting statements about civilian heads of departments, who know nothing, dominating the military element which knows everything. Without for a moment pre- suming to pass judgment in the controversy which has arisen through the very regrettable retirement of Sir David Henderson and Sir Hugh Trenchard from the Air Council, followed now by the resignation of the Secretary of State, we do assert that it is high time the country was told the exact truth. Doubt- less Lord Rothermere will himself realise this and explain all the circumstances during the discussion in the Lords on the Air Vote. If he does it will clear the air, and we shall know where and how the blame is to be apportioned. If he does not, then all we can say is that it will make an unsatisfactory state of affairs more unsatisfactory still. Mr. Lloyd George, in the course of the debate on the Air Vote on Monday, went a long way towards discounting the criticism which the resignation of General Trenchard has aroused, and certainly gave reasons which would have justified Lord Rothermere in transferring the late Chief of the Staff to another sphere of activity. That, however, does not carry us all the way, and we are still of opinion that Lord Rothermere should, if he can do so without impro- priety, disclose the textual reasons for the conflict of opinion which undoubtedly arose between himself and General Trenchard. It is due as much to himself as to the latter that he should follow this course. So far as concerns the affaire and its bearing on General Trenchard personally, we can see no reflection on an officer who is undoubtedly a great leader of men that it should be said of him that he does not possess the " staff brain" in excelsis. Lord Roberts was a great leader, but there is no reason to suppose that he was an equally great chief of the staff. Conversely, Lord Kitchener was, in the opinion of high German military authorities—and they
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