500.A15A4 Air Armaments/26: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson)
33. Your 31, February 16, 12 p.m. Following from Navy Department for Admiral Hepburn:
“Navy Department takes following position relative to questions propounded. (1) Abolition of bombardment aviation is impracticable due to inability to delimit such a type, and even if it were practicable it would be detrimental to national defense. (2) Prohibition of aerial bombing is detrimental under existing international situation and status. (3) Internationalization of civil aviation is contrary to national policy and inimical to national defense.
Navy Department is of opinion that clear definition of objectives to which all weapons should be limited will prevent misuse of weapons more effectively than any one or all of these proposals and will be free from many if not all of the objections thereto.
Detailed study follows by letter.”