FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0378.PDF
top engines, in practice this does not appear to have been the case, or, at any rate, not to an extent which could not be counteracted by the elevator controls. As the subject of multi-engined machines is coming to the fore again, we have thought it only just that the facts of this regrettable crash should be again referred to and made clear. We have had cause on previous occa- ^r" s*ons to commend tne utterances of Premium our Present Secretary of State for Air, and elsewhere in this issue will be found a report of a straight talk by Sir Samuel Hoare last week at the annual luncheon of the National Citizens' Union. It was a splendid example of plain speaking for plain men who call a spade a spade, and have no use for the flowery vapourings forming the stock-in-trade of the professional politician. Right at the outset Sir Samuel made an appeal to his audience as men of business, who knowing the value and use of money would therefore seek to ensure economy in the expenditure of Government depart- ments. He, however, felt sure that they were too sound men of business to look askance at the increased amount of money which he was asking for the air service, and he went on to point out that it was really in the nature of an insurance premium providing against attack from the air. He could conceive it being said that it was not really worth while taking out a policy against so small a risk. Another question often asked was, From whom do you expect an attack ? He certainly did not expect an attack from anyone, least of all from any of our old friends and allies. He did not imagine that, within the life-time of anyone present, great countries which had gained everything by their alliances in the past and had everything to gain by their alliances in the future would fall upon each other with all the grim horrocs of modern warfare. Why, then, he would be asked, is there any need to increase the air force ? It was just as easy to query the need for armaments at all, or the necessity for maintaining a one-power Navy. It was essential that, being a great Empire, we must ensure our national security, and however excellent our relations with those we number among our friends, we simply could not leave our shores open to hostile attack, neither could we live on the sufferance of any power in the world. And as the Prime Minister had pointed out, just as we had a standard for the Navy so we must have a standard for the Air Force. It was not a question of .looking round and seeing where we could JULY 12, 1923 pare away a little here and save a little there. The question was a much larger one than that. It was to ensure that, in addition to seeing that the essential air-power requirements of the Army and Navy were fully and adequately met for home, overseas and Indian commitments, there was a properly organised Home Defence Air Force of sufficient strength adequately to protect us against air attack by the strongest Air Force within striking distance of this country. That was the absolute minimum which it would be prudent to be content with ; and we feel that everyone who takes the broad and long view will agree with the Secretary for Air, and recognise that the increased amount required for the Air Force is not an extravagance, but a moderate insurance premium which is very good business. From that side of the subject Sir Samuel Restriction Hoare turned to make what at first of Air seemed a contradictory appeal. While Armaments he was seeking support for the strengthening of his hands in making sure of our Air Defence, he said he was also seeking to build up a public opinion which would assist the Government in bringing about at some future date an International restriction of air armaments. He wished to avoid a new race of armaments, particularly in a department such as the air, which month by month and year by year would grow so terrible as to be capable of destroying civilisation. It was a problem which he admitted at times seemed so difficult as to be insuperable. There was the difficulty of distinguishing between civil and military machines; there was the almost impossible task of super- vising many small factories and a complicated industry. It was all very complex, no doubt much more so than the question of restricting capital ships at the Washington Conference. None the less, with his own special knowledge of the possibilities of air- warfare developments, he thought that at the right time and in the most suitable manner the great countries might approach the problem, and, if civilisa- tion was not to perish, they must solve it. He thought that the reduction of armaments, if it be carried out in proportion to the basic needs of every country, need endanger the security of none. Altogether it was, in these days of hot air, an invigorating speech by a man who sees his goal, and carried conviction with it to his audience. It is well the Air realm has found itself in its representative at last. GOTHENBURG f?" FLIGHT" wiU be > "THE DAILY - at the INTERNATIONAL AERO EXHIBITION. on sale at the Gothenburg Aero Exhibition at . TELEGRAPH " KIOSK, in Main Entrance, ~-;..v where Exhibition communications can also be addressed. ' 378
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
