ARMING RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1922, Page 4

ARMING RUSSIA.

AND DISARMING LONDON

(By Henry De Halsalle, author of “Degenerate Germany.”)

That Russia after the “pact” offers w idesprend facilities to Germany for the manufacture of munitions of waits apparent; liut what is more important is that in the late Czar’s dominions there is nothing now to prevent aeroplanes of any type, and power from being built there—for German use.

Russia is a vast country, with vast resources, particularly in the way of men and materials. Her best type of workman is little inferior to our own, and there is no scarcity of him. Let us remember, too, the great exodus of German officers and “business men” into that country immediately after the Armistice. Bona fide business men there were, of course; but what of the “mission” of the ex-officers, a small army of them, who have not returned to the Fatherland IWhat are they doing in Russia, which in these times is anything but a pleasure resort:-' The question may well give us furiously to think. Wo’have forgotten .that Russia was the real pioneer of aviation was the first Bower seriously to encourage inventors. and to expend huge sums oil the science. In 1913 Sikorsky, assisted by the Russo- Baltic Wagon Works, surprised the world with his giant ’plane. “Rnssky Vitias,” the pcrcursor of all the “giants.” It was a Russian. Captain Kostoviteli. of the Mercantile .Marine, who was tho original inventor of the rigid dirigible, later to he copied and “perfected” by Count Zeppelin. Following him. R iahushingsky. a Russian millionaire, opened a private aviation laboratory near Moscow, and the splendid work done there is still remembered in the aviation world. In 1!)|() the history of naval aviation in Russia began, and a Naval Aviation School was opened in Sebastopol. Moscow. KiefT. Odessa, and other most of the technical institutes created aerial laboratories. Numelons other schools were opened bv the Russian War Office in the Caucasus. in Turkestan, in Siberia, and in various parts of the Empire; and when war broke out, in August 191-1. Germany regarded the Russian air services. from till- scientific point of view, as tho best in existence.

What, then, wo ask. is happening with regard to aviaton in Russia, -in which country a host of German officers and business men have undoubtedly not been idle since the Armistice?

The thought is disquieting; hut nothing < an he more certain than that Germany is now in a position completely to evade Allied restrictions on tno creation of aircraft.

In Russia, with the requisite capital, she has every facility, while our Government (ling away millions on profitless schemes and in the maintenance of ii nnecessa ry Govern men t Depa rtnien t s and grudge a mere tithe of those millions for the most vital, (and perhaps imminent) problem confronting ns I |,et ns hear in mind that Germany

, .in now make preparai ions for an air a; lack, if she so wills, on the vastest Male. It is from the air that the still extremely powerful militarist party intend to launch their next avalanche of destruction and devastation; and it may not he very long before Germany is “prepared.” The German Aircraft expert Major G. R. Neumann, in a lecture in Berlin the other day. said;

Tho day is not far off when we shall have a machine capable, of doing 000 miles per hour. Unoccupied machines will he used .directed on their way by wireless, or to which the necessary power is transmitted by wireless, anil I suggest this will ultimately he the case With an aerial mail, which will he carried out by aeroplanes controlled only by electric waves, and containing no men.

In tint face of all this we find I.oildon left defenceless against air raids! The British Air Eoree, on which our present and future security so largely depends, is virtually non-existent. Our designers, construction and organising experts have had to seek other jobs—— mostly abroad. To the burglar, creeping up the staircase, we have handed our revolver.