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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0934.PDF
would enable the Empire to hold its own in the home and foreign markets. If, he said, his friends to whom a tariff was anathema could formulate such a policy, why did they not do so ? Why did they range themselves alongside the Germans in our midst and support the very policy that Germany desires we should ? Obviously, a journal such as " FLIGHT " cannot enter into a discussion of the relative merits of Free Trade and Tariffs, and it is not at all our-intention to do anything of the sort. But it seems to us that Mr. Hughes is most absolutely right when he says that the war has profoundly altered all the old land-marks, and that it is quite impossible to discuss this ques- tion from the old points of view. The great, in fact the only issue before the nation in this matter of trade policy after the war is as he has set forth, and it is one that must be approached with an absolutely open mind from which all the old shibbo- leths have been dismissed. Mr. Hughes himself put the matter very well when he said that he did not pin his faith to tariffs, but to organisation. In other words, to the adoption by each industry of such methods as would equip it most effectively for the trade war after the war. But in cases where the remedy called for was clearly a tariff or a bonus, were we to hesitate to adopt it because in 1849 AUGUST 22, 1918. somebody said or did something, or because such action would annoy Gemany ? It seems to us that there can only be a single answer to such a question. However, the point that has to be considered now is that of the clear enunciation of our future trade policy. We have a Ministry of Reconstruction, with a real Minister and a large staff which purports to be very busy with the problems of industrial and commercial reconstruction, but the most important of these problems—policy—has not been touched so far as anybody outside the charmed circle can know. And until we do know it seems to us that it is quite impossible for our industrial, and commercial com- munity to lay any concrete plans for the future. Unf<Jrtunately, we do not seem to have~abandoned laissez faire even yet. The Government peddles with decorations and votes for women, education, and other matters, some of which are important and others utterly beside the issue, but the most important of all is left to the future to look after. Agreed that the problem is a terribly difficult one, it has to be tackled some time, and the earlier the better. Let us get on to it now, and know where we stand without delay. Once we know that, a great deal of the work of reconstruction will take — care of itself. The aircraft industry is vastly' inter- ested in the well-being of the future. The King's Letter. IN the letter dated France, August 13th, sent by the King to Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, at the conclusion of His Majesty's visit to the Front, there is the following* reference to the work of the R.A.F.. " I have inspected detachments of the Royal Air Force. Its prowess and established superiority over the enemy make me proud to be the General-in-Chief of this last creation in the fighting forces of the world." The Air Force Reserve. ^ AN Order in Council published in the London Gazette of August 20th sets forth that certain enactments relating to the Army Reserve shall apply in relation to the Air Force Reserve, subject to certain adaptions set forth, which mainly consist of the substitution of Air Force titles and references in place of those referring to the Army, In this connection, it states that the references to "soldier" in the Reserve Forces Act, 1899; shall be construed as including references "to an air- man of the regular Air Force and to the Air Force Reserve." What Canada is Producing. A STATEMENT issued by the Canadian Imperial Munitions Board announces that under its direction Canada has pro- duced 2,000 aeroplanes since the manufacture of them was started. The present output is said to be equal to 350 machines per month. Enemy Using Parachutes. ALTHOUGH it has been evident for some time past that some ot the German machines have had parachutes fitted to them, it is only recently that it has been noticed that pilots have made use of them. The Times correspondent at the Front, writing on August 18th, reports that the pilots of two Fokker biplanes which were shot down were pulled clear of the falling machines by parachutes. Apparently they are made of white silk and slightly smaller than a balloon parachute. In one case the parachute did not act until the machine had fallen at least 2,000 ft. A Sikorsky biplane fitted with snow skids for winter flying. 0:2
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