Show PRESIDENT OPPOSES GUN ELEVATION With President Coolidge against the elo of ot the th guns gun on our battleships the th final word seems to lave been said which will leave leav the navy hat Interior Inferior to that thaI of Great Britain and reduce the tho ratio I Americas America's and Japan s a capital ships I The president stands opposed to t raising the angle anci of ot fire fir of ot our guns gun qu on the ground that If America doc does dot Ilot attempt this strengthening of If othe the navy other nations nation v will ill IU have hav no n nc c cus for Indulging Indulging- In In na l armament The president s i low undoubtedly is sound but It leaves loaves America less Ics capable of or waging a war wa on the tho seas After ACler all the tho lh most moat vital Ital arm with v blows are aro to be b struck In a future wars Is not th the navy nav Tho airplane and gas will liI the tate of nations Oai recently Ma M Jor General chief of ot the ho army air service service ce Informed the house that without adequate air protection the tho th guns In mighty torts forts around New Ne York Vol City would bo be ueless In defense dete of tho lie port lIe declared the lh airplane does docs doc not replace r place the big 16 It Inch guns gun but Is es essential to their operation Any hostile craft he h said making an attack on our shores Is bound to nave aircraft and aud nil all the batteries Ibave that that might be bo placed In defense of New York could be b quickly put out of f action It If there was no air force to defend them thorn from air attack 0 o when this country Is l talking dIsarmament It must couple up the tho theair aIr forces with any branch of ot the tho nations nation's armed forces At present America Is tar far below Grea Britain and France Prance In the I strength of ot Its air service As Aa A estimated es cs estimated by bythe the army official the I comparative strength Is ll as M follows follow I United State arm army officers navy total 1899 1699 enlisted men army na nB nay y 36 total 1275 England both services officers enlisted men meu France both services officers 1368 enlisted men Japan both sen sef Ices officers enlisted men i Italy both officers enlisted men On September 30 of last sear ear the th army air sef Ice had observe observe- ion planes bombardment planes pursuit planes plants and nIne planes a a total ol ot 1121 I General Patrick stated ero divided Into three the first read readi for tor war duty the for use siso In an sn emergency but usable uble and the th third unfit for hard bud work ork ork and really held In re resen sen set set-se e for or trainIng purposes There are no observation planes In be first class claes there her are aro 1 3 planes In Inthe inthe the second class and I In the lie third Those These are aro ar all servie o but there are in addition 37 for fOI traIning and 92 for transition from crom training to actual duty dut It will be b noted that America has less les than hull halt the air forces Corces cred credited cr hasI to Great Britain although It Is Isi stronger than Japan But the th Sap Jap e anese have a method of ot concealing much of belt theli preparedness s and andare andare are aN able to keep from the th outside theIr secret crt plans If II Ife w e se base ha faith In nations then President Coolidge Is doing the right thing thine to Inspire other nations with faith in us But If It being pro pro- pro pared pared Is not a thing thine of sentiment antI and must disregard the hopes or of orthe othe the altruistic then It Is a mistake to be b other than OHr eser e er ready to de- de defend defend de defend fend this nation against surprise attacks But ot of ll countries Amer AmerIca lea Ica can best afford atford to sot tot the exam pIe of yielding for lh the peace of or the world I 00 I I I i |