1939-03-27 — Page 14

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W

THE CHINA MAIL,

HOW BIG IS

HAT is going on behind the it

d the it is obviously of considerable im- to stand under closed doors of Europe's chan- portance to study the elements that the field, but al celleries is only a matter for specula- make up air power and to appraise tion of perform tion. What plans and ambitions. (as far as is possible under present and the ability may be locked up in the minds of circumstances) the probable strength tary loads are that handful of men is even more of nations in the air with respect to characteristics, obscure. But certain it is that their probable opponents. around council tables in Berlin, in Rome, in Paris and in London the

*

* **

1

ever, is a poor efficiency. The international s

no vision from

B

PAUL

NOTED

AIR

In considering any "facts and pattern of the immediate future has figures" that appear below, It should possible utility.

be understood that they are simply already been drawn--the f

fateful de-

of view. They, one observer's opinion of the aviation ability. Their cisions that might spell war ör peace if the sprlig of 1939 are in the situation abroad as of the beginning The author has made two making. And in reaching those de- of 1989. cisions, it is equally certain, that the surveys of acronautical ⚫ Europe in the past two years, one in 1936 in relative strength of aërial "arma- ment is one of the most potent con- England, Holland, France, and Ger- many, and the second In October, trolling factors.

November, and December of *938, covering the same ground but includ- In the Not, however, that air strength ing also a look at Italy. alone provides all the answers- not course of the two trips the principal by the conventional "jugful," Men research and experiment station of and guns ashore, ships and big guns England, Germany, France and Italy at sea, and the unremitting applica- have been visited and inspections tion of economic pressures still re- made of the larger airplane and en- main the basic tools of conquest and gine factories of the several coun-

power plants v subjugation. In spite of a certain tries as follows: England 10, Hol- tion for only a amount of experimental research in land 2, Germany 6, France 4, Italy fully selected China and in Ethiopia and in Spain, 6. Although actual coverage of the military desig none of us knows yet the real existing aviation industries in these is speed with strength of this winged weapon that countries was not complete (some with good pil we now hold in our. hands. We are plants being closed to visitors for power plant only beginning to realize that it is obvious reasons), yet the plants over long rang one of the most powerful ever forged visited were representätive, and my load. and we are beginning to suspect own -observations (backed up with that it is double-edged-that it may information collected from other be an extremely dangerous one to in- reasonably reliable sources) voke against, well-fledged oppon- yielded a fair cross-section of con- so many limit ents, for even the most modern de- ditions as they probably exist. fensive measures against retaliatory As an example of the sort of thing bump against that can happen when air forces are "ceiling." T measured in numbers alone, consider son to believ the can of France. For the 10 years up its sleeve tollowing the war of 1914-18, France outstanding had without question the strongest as might fly

Even

of any other military aviation in Europe. into the middle 1980's she was cre- them out of dited with an air force of upward of ty. Obviousl 4,000 machines. But things have

and of aerody of political b been happening behind the scenes in France which have undermined her

surprising th position as an air power to the ex- tories of tent that in less than five years she world are con has slipped from first to fifth posi- same answers everyone from top ranking politici. tion in relative strength. Her equip airplane, and

ment lists may still show a large Of equal number of machines, but many of tions of mat them are obsolete, more are unser of personnel viceable, and her supporting manu- pilots to fly facturing indústries have fallen into vice and repa

air attacks are embryonic at best. As Colonel Lindbergh said in a speech in Berlin over two years ago: "We in aviation carry a heavy responsi- bility. We have stripped the armour of every nation in war. We can no longer protect our fami- lies with an army . Every in- stitution which we value most is laid open to bombardment."

What might actually happen at war is 4

the onset of a first-rate

matter of the greatest concern in every European capital to-day, a problem of immediate interest to

an down to the humblest householder.

The pessimistically inclined see their cities and their citizens blasted and

of

have

These consi

all the first-ra first-rate pow

gassed out of existence in a matter a few hours. The optimists reassure themselves with talk of bal. 4 deplorable state. It seems probable turing indus that had the Munich meeting ended ed workmen loon barrages, antiaircraft guns in a declaration of war in Septem- their factori and protective cordons of ber, the French could have muster- search depar inceptor fighters. But whatever

ed fewer than 1,000 fighting ma-

1eplacement shade of opinion is held by chines.. At that time it is known

at least as g the tactical expert or by the man- that the manufacturing industries

placement a in-the-street, both are anxiously.

"were producing at a rate of only 60

a good deal scanning the skies. They know

to 70 airplanes per month, while the than it does that when attack comes it will come

That con from the air. They know also that German factories were averaging Therein,

position, their defence must also be in the close to 500 units a mouth.

of course, lies the clue to the great the largest French interest in purchasing air- ed craft in the United States that has

tap,men will Theories

be proved

or come to light recently.

for specia discounted only by the final tests of Quality of equipment takes into ing in an actual combat between ranking account not only the structural excel- servoir may powers. But during this period of lence of machines, the proper usage couragemen preliminary sparring and feinting, of suitable materials, and the ability we are seal

air.

།:

Bringing Up Father

I'M WORRIED ABOUT, MY

BROTHER-HE WAS OUT. OF BED AT NINE O'CLOCK THIS MORNING-1; MADE HIM GO OVER AND CAL

ON DR. JOE OINTS

HE MUST CHAVE FALLEN SOUT OF

BED-

THAT GUY DOESN'T

AKE LONG

TO KNOW

HE IS

ELLO-DOCTOR- THIS IS MR. JIGGS HOW DID YOU FIND MAGGIE'S BROTHER?

By