The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 3rd, 1925. AIRCRAFT AND ARMAMENT LIMITATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 3rd, 1925. AIRCRAFT AND ARMAMENT LIMITATION.

Tiik aircraft investigation that is being conducted by a committee of the American House of Representatives is, says an exchange, an affair of wheels withiu wheels. The investigation is providing a battle-ground for various contending factions. Apart from the controversy between those who believe respectively in the battleship and the aeroplane as the supreme weapon of modern war, the proceedings cf the committee have revealed acute differences of opinion over the extent to which American defence policy jsjiouLd he effected by relations with Japan. Elements of hitter personal antagonism between high naval and military officers and officials have also been brought to light, and a recent decision of the committee to terminate its hearings—a decision since revoked —was attributed to

fear among the Administration leaders of uncovering another scandal ‘‘along tho lines of the oil investigation, these questions are in great part ol American domestic concern, but as it bears on the relative importance of the aeroplane to the battleship as a weapon of modern war the investigation is oi international importance. This question, evidently has a very vital hearing oil the eHurts that are in prospect to bring about a. further mutual limitation of armaments. It seems not at all unlikely that the American investigating committee may declare in its report that aviation i-s the must vitol element in national defence. Evidence on this point lias been contradi •- tory, hut tin' advocates of the aeroplane appear to he gaining ground. They are making hold and positive assertions and demanding exhaustive tests, while their opponents are relyim in great part on negative denials. On top of General Mitchcl’s recent, assertion that a third rate Power equipped with proper Hying units could defeat the Fuited States, Admiral Sims is quoted as declaring that aircraft wili bo the determining factor in any future naval oonilict. Already there is a rising demand in the Fuited States for tiig developments in military and naval aviation. During the last few months much space had been given in the newspapers to comparisons oi the aviation strength of different nations. ami there have been many inmpluiiits that the Fuited States has allowed itself to lia seriously outclassed tin aeilial strength by France, Britain, Japan and Italv. If the outcome of the present inquiry is to establish the view that aircraft are capable of destroying the most powerful modern battleships, a new turn evidently will, lie given not only to the national detence programmes of the l nitod States ami other nations, hut to the problem ol securing an international limitation of armaments. In any case it seems clear that any future agreement for the international limitation of armaments must extend to aircratt it it is to I north the paper it is written on. Should it proceed unchecked, the competitive construction of lighting aircraft would impose as exhausting a drain on national resources as the construction in similar conditions of modem ironclads. When it is added that France at. the moment possesses by far the greatest and most powerful air fleet in the world, and that she regards it as one of her host safeguards against a revengeful attack by Germany, the obstacles that will he raised to agreement, at the next international conference on the limitation of armaments may l)o very easily envisaged. Objections by France and Italy made it impossible to deal at the Washington Conference with naval auxiliary craft, submarines, or aircraft. If those objections are persisted .in, even by France alone, the effect may be to make an effective international limitation of armaments impossible. In presenting his departmental Estimates, the British Air Minister (Sir Samuel Houre) urged that a more mobile air power might he the means of saving many men and much money ill the defence of the Empire. In saying this, the Minister evidently had in mind the development of commercial aviation throughout the Empire. There are attractive possibilities of making extended use of both airships and aeroplanes as vehicles ef express transport- between distant British countries, and as time goes on the growth of commercial aviation no doubt will facilitate very considerably tiie- establishment of an efficient scheme of Empire air defence. There is little doubt that Britain and the United States could reach an agreement in regard to the limitation of fighting aircraft, and it has been stated, apparently with authority, that Japan is willing to participate in such an agree ment. In Continental Europe, on tho other hand, conditions are unfavourable to a pact of this nature and an obvious danger is thus raised that aircraft competition may impose heavy burdens on the nations, and create new possibilities of future war.