“MIGHT BRING IN MORE PLANES

General Mitchell declared it to be his opinion that if the British could sell this equipment they would try to bring in more, that they would not only succeed in establishing their airplanes, but would control the situation to such an extent that all replacements, motors, accessories, etc., would also have to he brought in from England. General Mitchell denied emphatically that British airplanes were superior to American, at the close of the war, or now, and made specific contrasts. …

There were present at the hearing, or represented by wire or letter, a dozen or more aircraft and engine manufacturing plants. Two of these, Cole J. Younger, representing the Ordnance Engineering Company, of New York City and Raymond Ware, of the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, of Ithaca, N. Y., answering specifically Mr. Frear’s suggestion that the anti-importing bill might operate beneficially to only one company, stated that they urged the bill as necessary to their own commercial future. …

THE KEY TO NATIONAL DEFENSE

Mr. Ware said the aircraft industry was a key industry in its relation to the national defense and that, if there was to be the preparation which Gen. Mitchell said was necessary, the aircraft industry, to meet the demand in war emergency, should have built up a considerable commercial business. Such, he declared, would be impossible in the face of the British importations. …”

Reference Data:

Aircraft Journal, Vol. 6, 1920, page 67