AEROPLANES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 33, 2 November 1918, Page 3

AEROPLANES

Sir—lt is two years since 1 first mooted .the , question of New Zealand properly training tho\men and suppling a iousand aeroplanes to help finish the ivar. From what we know happened in Palestine, where- aeroplanes helped so much to demoralise tho Turkish retreat, ind the reports, we get every day from Franco, the dullest head must by tins time be convinced that aeroplanes would liavo been tho best things we at this distance could have gone in for. If the Germans retire behind their stronglyfortified Rhine, and we had got the complete mnstery of the air that we could have obtained if all the Allied world had. started tho production of aeroplanes, as [ advocated, and, say, 100,000 of them got behind the German trenches, and started to blow all they had to pieces, can anyjne doubt that they would have given in ? Aeroplanes especially would have helped to save our soldiers' lives, as frontal attacks are always costly to life, and also the soouer the war is over the, greater the earing of men. 1 have always advocated that we should ?end competent business men to see that the manufacture of these 'planes was over and above any being made for any other Allied-country, and that we made i certainty that we were increasing the output. I would have willingly gone mjself, and would have guaranteed by this time to have had some of tho 'planes in France, and I always offered to go at my own expense. Although I have never advocated it, because I believe wecannot do too much to help win, I pointed out, when there was a cry against so ifidny married ' men going, that aeroplanes would be cheaper and more efficacious. If one aeroplane, as many reckon, can .do the work of one hundred men, one thousand aeroplanes would be as useful ne one hundred thousand men, at a comparatively email cost. To train the men and supply the aeroplanes would cost very little more than wo are now spending per month, and after the war is over both tho 'planes; and the trained men will, be required in New Zealand; Flyers are young and single men, .and there would hot be so large a pension list as there will be with so many married men at the front. Iβ it not enough to make one feel sore, knowing tlint we failed in this which would have dono so much to eavo our men's lives and help win the war?—l am, etc., EDGAR JONES.