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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1476.PDF
NOVEMBER 13, 1919 REPORT OF AMERICAN AVIATION MISSION The report, dated July 19 last, of the Mission sent to France, Italy and England by the U. S. Secretary of War, has now been issued as a White Paper. We publish below the material portions of the report, which is addressed to the U.S. Secretary of War, Mr. Newton, who, as will be seen, has written a memorandum to it. A thorough study and investigation was made by your Mission of all forms of organisation, production and development. As a result of these studies, your Mission desires to emphasise the universal opinion of its members that immediate action is necessary to safeguard the air interests of the United States, to preserve for the Government some benefit of the great aviation expenditures made during the period of the War, and to prevent a vitally necessary industry from entirely disappearing. Ninety per cent, of the industry created during the War has been liquidated. Unless some definite policy is adopted by the Government, it is inevitable- that the remaining 10 per cent, will also disappear. In placing this matter before you, the subject falls into three important heads : (i) General organisation ; (2) development, commercial ; (3) de-' velopment, technical. The findings of the American Aviation Mission and its recommendations are submitted after a careful review of the situation in the allied countries mentioned, but always keeping in mind the situation in the United States. Under the above sub-heads the results of these investigations are presented to you, which, in the opinion of the Mission, demand the most earnest and immediate consideration along the broadest lines,-with a view to establishing some fixed policy which will save the aircraft situation in the United States and give the United States an equal place with the great powers of Europe in this great new commercial development. The American Aviation Mission therefore recommends : The concentration of the air activities of the United States, military, naval and civilian, within the direction of a single government agency created for the purpose, co-equal in importance with the Departments of War, Navy and of Commerce, to be called in this report,- for purposes of identi fication, the National Air Service. In making the above recommendations, the following views and data of the Mission are presented:— Visits were made by the Mission to England, France, Italy, and confer ences have been held with those largely responsible for the successful prosecu tion of the WTar, and especially with those men most experienced in the aerial development within these countries. (The committee then give a list of per sons interviewed.) In all countries visited, and in the minds of all persons met in conference, appears an extraordinary similarity in condition and in conclusions drawn from the experiences of the five difficult years of mistake and achievement in the prosecution of the War. Perhaps no stronger or more simple presenta tion of the regard in which the future of aviation is held in Allied countries can be given than by quotation from two letters of M. Clemenceau, copies of which were obtained in France. The first is addressed to the President of the United States, urging upon him the immediate consideration of matters aeronautical and in connection with the Peace Conference. The second is addressed to the President of the Republic of France, submitting the draft of a decree creating a separate department of Aeronautics placed transitorily •under the Ministry of War—an intermediate step possible without legisla tion and looking to the early creation of an independent Ministry of the Air : " Copy. " February 16, 1019. " Mr. President: " I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your answer of Febru ary 7, to my letter of January 24. I enclose herewith, copies of the letters •which I have received from Lord Milner and from Monsieur Orlando, as well as my replies. " I am pleased to note that you agree in principle with my proposition to create an Aviation Committee for after the War. I take the liberty of in sisting on the necessity of creating this Committee without delay, in order to be able .to utilise it as an advisory organ for the Peace Conference. Indeed, the clauses for aerial protection seem to me to have at least an importance equal to the clauses for military and naval protection ; and it is of the greatest interest to have a study made by competent personalities of the measures to take againsf the eventual constitution of a German military fleet. I cannot insist too strongly on the imperious necessity of this study, on account of the proximity of Germany to London, Brussels, Paris and Rome. " Likewise, I adhere entirely to the British proposition which seems to me practical and effective, and I request you likewise to give it attention. In case it seems acceptable to you, I wish you would let me know if you could delegate two representatives to the next meeting of the new Inter-allied Committee, which will take place on Thursday, March, 6, at 10 o'clock, at the Directory of Aeronautics, 260, Boulevard St. Germain. " Please accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration, " (Signed) CLEMENCEAU." " Copy. " REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. " Paris, June 6, 1919. " Mr. President: " Aircraft has developed considerably during the War. It should, at this time, adapt itself to a no less important part in Peace time. But because of the many initiatives which co-operate in its new use and development, the efforts and means are dispersed in various ministerial departments. " The future of aviation in France will only be assured by the co-ordina tion of all efforts and the unification of the general services. Also, it will give the advantage of better work from the personnel and credits which are actually effected to similar objects in different ministries. " With this object in view, and according to the propositions of an inter- ministerial conference which I am able to assemble, I have the honour to submit for your signature the following decree creating an organ of general co-ordination of aviation. . - " This should not be confused with any of the particular aviations of the various ministerial departments. At its origin, it will be attached tran sitorily to the Ministry of War. " I am, Sir, yours respectfully, "GEORGES CLEMENCEAU, " President of the Council, War Ministry." Even before the report of this Mission can be given consideration, a step similar to that proposed by France will have been taken by Italy. Here, however, the Department of Aeronautics is being placed under the Ministry of Transportation—a make-shift arrangement frankly acknowledged tran sitory and immediately possible without the legislation needed to create the clearly foreseen ultimate—the Italian Ministry of Air. England more than two years ago began the co-ordination of her aircraft activities—an effort which has resulted in placing her well in the lead in practically every phase of aeria development, and which has resulted in bringing her months ago to the establishment of a Ministry of Air, co-equal with her Ministries of War and of the Navy. That the present Ministries both for war and for air are centred in the same individual has no significance other than that of momentary expediency. The whole trend of events touching the art of aeronautics in its broad relation to world progress, the experience in all Allied countries (including the United States) during the five years past, the frankly discussed future plans under present consideration in foreign quarters and the views every where encountered by us, leave your Mission impressed with these unescap- able conclusions :—- 1. That Italy, France and England realise fully the importance of aircraft in the military-naval and civil-commercial aspects, and propose to encourage the general development of the art through Governmental aid to commercial industry. 2. That Great Britain has come to consider the dominance of the air as at least of equal importance with that of the seas, and is frankly and avowedly planning a definite policy of Aerial development to that end. 3. That any future war will inevitably open with great aerial activity far in advance of contact either upon land or sea, and that victory cannot but incline to that belligerent able to first achieve and later maintain its supre macy in the air. 4. That for economic reasons, no nation can hope in time of peace to maintain air forces adequate to its defensive need except through the creation of a great reserve in personnel, material and producing industry through the encouragement of Civil Aeronautics. Commercial Aviation and Transporta tion development must be made to carry the financial load. 5. That no sudden creation of aerial equipment to meet a national emer gency already at hand is possible. It has been proven within the experience of every nation engaged in the War that two years or more of high pressure effort have been needed to achieve the quantity production of aircraft, aircraft engines, and accessory equipment. The training of personnel, including engineering, production, inspection, maintenance and operating forces— covering some fifty distinct trades and some seventy-five industries, has proved in itself a stupendous task when undertaken upon the basis of the war emergency alone. 6. That the rapid adaptation of aircraft to the commercial uses of peace is everywhere being studied and planned. Under the forced draft of war, this newest and fastest agency of Transportation has been brought to a high state of development. It must now be redesigned to meet the progressive demands of a civilisation at Peace. 7- That because of its great speed and range of operation, oceans, states and even countries are being passed over with a greater facility than are townships and counties traversed by the motor car. The need for Inter national agreements governing the construction, operation and safety of aerial apparatus of all kinds is immediately before us. 8. That for the first time in the world's history the stage is set for a close International co-operation in the development of a great art at the very threshold of its era of commercial utility. Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan not only invite but urge the United States to share in this work. 9. That just as we now have National, International and Interstate regula tions, laws and agreements covering rail and steamship travel, and the safety and navigation of the seas, so must we have similar regulations governing aircraft and the uses of aerial navigation throughout the world. The Inter national Convention drawn by the International Committee sitting in Paris, under the Peace conference, gives the first long step in this direction. 10. That the need in each country for a single authoritative point of contact for the conduct of all International aviation affairs, legal, operational, tech nical and political, is imperative. Such agencies have already been set up in England, France and Italy. The United States has, under the terms of the International Convention, no option but to follow these leads. 11. That in England, France and Italy sentiment is undoubtedly in favour of the centralisation of aircraft development under one authoritative head. Difference of opinion has been encountered only in the matter of Army and Navy personnel and in the question of the independent fighting force. England holds the initiative and is building her R.A.F. co-equal with the Army and Navy. France and Italy follow England's lead, but seem inclined to leave questions of operating personnel for the present to War and Navy Departments, and to debate the need of an Independent Fighting Air Service. In all cases, forces operating in conjunction with Military and Nayai units, function under the Military or Naval High Commands. 12. That among the many considerations of early moment requiring governmental direction may be mentioned the following :— (a) Federal and International laws governing the use of air routes. (b) Federal and International control of pilots' licences ; examination and tests required. (c) Federal inspection of all commercial aircraft for airworthiness, or suitability for service. (d) Customs and other regulations for crossing State and National boun daries. (e) International standards for methods of communication and signalling. (/) International standards covering the marking or; charting of air routes and of landing places for both day and night use. (g) International specifications and rules governing the construction, equipment and operation of standard airodromes, landing stations, signal towers and other aids to aerial navigation. (A) Port regulations and fees covering seaplanes. (i) Federation taxation of aircraft and licence for its use. (j) Safety measures and devices ; legislation forcing adoption. (ft) Fire underwriter standards, regulations and safeguards ; insurance 01 ' machines, of material and of persons in transit (property and life). (I) The legal status of privately-owned aircraft; the property rights of the air ; liability for damage inflicted and incurred. (m) International standards and specifications covering accepted practice in quality of materials, in factor of safety, and in methods of construction; an engineering literature of this new art must be created by International approval. i . (») Maps and navigation charts of the United States and its territories. 13.- That we of to-day are conceivably no more qualified to judge as to the scale and development of the aircraft of ten years hence than were we 01 even five years ago able to foretell the achievements of to-day. We must bear in mind always that for every one mind focussed upon things aero-14; 8
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