Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-19
Investigation Of Charges Is
Ordered by the War
Department.
SENATOR ROBINSON SAYS
PUBLIC HAS BEEN FOOLED
Asserts There Has Been a Dellb-
crate Attempt to Cover Up
Ineffciency.

An army 1lNeStiSdlioii vi
charges by Senator Robinson that
Lieut.. Col. Reber. head OF the
aviation service. has been con-
ducting the aero corps in an IN
efficient manner, has been ordered
by the War Department. A
board. which includes the lnspec-
tor general and the adjutant gen
eral of A1e army and the head of
the War College, will conduct the
inquiry
Congressional investigation of the
army aviation service was regarded as
a strong possibility at the Capitol TO-
day.
An investigation is proposed III a
resolution by Senator Robinson OF Ar
kansas, in support of which he made
sensational charges before the Senate
military affairs committee yesterday
against the service involving defective
equipment, favoritism to certain ofh-
GERS and general inefficiency.
Action on the resolution will be
taken by the committee Monday. Chair
man Chamberlain said today he fa-
vored an investigation. and added that
he believed the committee would ia
vorably report the resolution.
Senator Robinson told the committee
yesterday that the service was CON
temptibly inefficient and that it's head
Lieut.. Col. Samuel Reber, not only was
making no effort to improve it. but
deliberately was preventing the facts
from reaching his superiors.
The senator appeared before the COM
mittee with a mass of data, including
Photographic copies of letters which
he said had been exchanged between
Col. Reber and Capt. Arthur S. Cowan,
commanding the aviation station al San
Diego At least part of this evidence
was produced before the court martial
at San Francisco. which recently tried
Lieut. Col. Lewis E. Goodier. judge ad-
vocate general of the western depart
ment. accused Of improperly altering
certain charges filed by other officers
against Capt. Cowan.
Findings Before Commission.
The findings of this court now are in
the hands of a special commission of
army officers appointed by the acting
secretary of war to make a report to
President Wilson. The commission is
understood to be considering what ac-
tion should be taken as the result of
revelations during the trial concern
ing Col Reber, Capt. Cowan and the
service generally. as well as the courts
decision as to Col Goodier.
Senator Robinson read liberal eX-
cerpts from his photographs Of letters,
and quoted Capt. Cowan as writing to
Col. Reber that if the service ever
came under investigation by any one
outside the Signal Corps it would be
impossible to explain the rotten way
in which the work has been handled"
Other letters were produced to show
promotion OF men in the service
The senator charged that Col Reber
prompted Capt. Cowan to practice CON
temptible deceit" toward congressman
that he attempted to get into the an
nual appropriation bill in connection
with the item for the purchase of air
ships a provision for the purchase of
mobiles.
He said the colonel wrote that "the
word accessories will be like charity,
and cover Il multitude of sin" Another
structed Capt. Cowan to have prepared
designs for sheets TO be placed under
the seats OF aviators so We can say
We have armored aeroplanes.
A letter presented to the committee pur-
ported to be from Col. Reber. head of the
service, to Capt. Cowan, in charge at San
Diego. under date of June ., 1915, and
read:
.. wish you would have your engineer
Ing department get me Out some drawings
for the size Of sheets to he placed under
the seats OF aviators 70. alleged arinor
projection ] will have several Of these
y%1..# stc en-
Inored :eropl;tres. not taat think Ii
vithily essential. b;it in order that we
Eicet any charge that cur machines are
not a-nlore-
Senator i:o5inson declared that The de-
fec;ise conGitio:I Of equipment Of Tie avia-
ticl service =. San Diego could be es-
tab!isied beyond DOUBT. and fi,a. Col
Reber had Instructed Capt. CowSl to
keep il secret
Warns Against Publicity.