Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-07-19
S640,000,00O FOR
AVIATION FLEET
VOTED IN HOUSE
Measure Goes Through with De-
bate Shortened So as to Guard
War Departments Plans
Committee on Public Informa.
ton Is Criticized-Need of
Budget System Is Declared by
Representative Fitzgerald.

0uQget SySCem 10 OeCAdIeu Ny
Representative Fitzgerald.
Washington, July 15.-without a dis
senting vote and with only four hours
debate the House Saturday passed the
aviation bill, carrying an
Of $40, 10000 for the air
fleet that Is to carry. the war to Ger
many. No roll call was had on the bill.
and the debate. by pre-arrangement Of
members Of the military affairs commit
tee. revealed none of the details Of the
plans Of the war department as to the
number Of airplanes to be sent to Europe
or the number of aviators to be trained.
Representative Dent. chairman of the
committee. and Representative Kahn.
ranking republican member. said the de-
partment intended to preserve secrecy re-
garding its aviation program. This was
in answer to criticism that the council of
national defense. through the committee
on public information, had already re-
vealed certain details Of the aviation
program.
Members Of the House commended that
It was futile for the House to avoid dis
cussion Of such matters only to have
them become public through other chan
nels.
During the debate members Of the ap-
propriations committee challenged the
jurisdiction Of the military affairs COM
mittee over the $64O.0OoOOO appropriation.
and criticised Secretary Baker for not
submitting estimates in the regular way
for the appropriation. The appropriations
committee insisted that both Secretary
Baker and the House violated the law in
permitting the military affairs committee
to assume control Of the appropriation,
although 1t was conceded the military
committee should handle the legislation
incident to the creation Of greater avia-
ton service. Only the appropriations
committee, 1t was commended had author
ity to provide the money needed.
The House. however. proceeded with
the consideration Of the bill as reported
by the military committee
NEED OF BUDGET SYSTEM.
Chairman Fitzgerald of the appropria-
tons committee said the mix-up clearly
showed the need Of the establishment of
a budget system Of appropriations. Mr..
Fitzgerald added that he was so anxious
for the establishment Of budget sys-
tenn that he would agree to not seek
the Craftsmanship Of 1t and would forego
membership therein.
There are tremendous changes in
government going on everywhere" said
Mr.. Fitzgerald. "In order to perfect har-
mony and efficiency and to accomplish
what is being accomplished great changes
have resulted. This change has come
about everywhere except in the House
Here we are proceeding in our old slip
shod. illogical. indefensible method OF
handling the public funds. We should re-
turn to the system of a central ap.
propriating committee. and I am so i'm
pressed with the Importance of this re.
form that 1 would resign from the chair
manship Of appropriations and agree that
I shall be ineligible for the craftsmanship
ofthe new committee II the House will
adopt my suggestion"
When the aviation bill was brought into
| the House there was a suggestion that II
be passed Immediately and without dis
cussion. Representative Mann. the minor
tty floor leader. himself suggested this
and there were ores Of vote! vote!
Other members. however, desired brie1
discussion, and there arose mild criticism
| Of the military affairs committee for moi
| furnishing more details regarding the
aviation program and the expenditure o.
so large a sum Of money.
Representative. Kahn dramatically ex
claimed:
Let me call your attention to one
| fact. England has been at war will
| Germany for three year. England doe
not know to-day how many submarines
Germany is turning out each week. 1
Is kept a profound secret, and it ha
had a deterrent effect on England
| why cannot this country keep IT
| a Win gacraf7 II tel
the enemy what you are going to d.
he will prepare to meet you. II h
kknows that SO many airplanes are go
ing to Europe he will meet those air
planes. This House should trust It
committee on military affairs and tn
| war department"
POINT TO PREVIOUS PUBLICITY.
Representative Fitzgerald and Rep
resentative Campbell interjectd that ii
the official bulletin. published by tn
committee on public information Their
had been from time to time volumin
Gus statements regarding the big avia
ton program.
III the secretary of war wants Sc
crecy," suggested Mr.. Campbell. "wh.
cannot he control the council of ma
tional defense, of which he is chairman
and see that no more statements ar
issued about this?"
YES why should discussion be ha'
everywhere but in the House Of Rep
resentatives?" asked Mr.. Fitzgerald.
Because 1t has been done this doe
not make it right" said Mr.. Kahn
"The attention of the secretary of wa
has been called to this and he has prom
Used secrecy in the future. 1t Is tim
now for US to begin to clamp down tn
lid"
III we are going to spend $640.000,O0
on aviation hasn't Germany a prett
good idea of how many machines W
will send over?" asked Representativ
Cooper Of Wisconsin.
mo" said Mr.. Kahn, because air
planes are of different kinds and price
costing all the way from SO 900 to SIS, 200.
Representative Kahn gave the secretar
of war as authority of the statement tina
there would be no such publication on tn
aviation subject in the future. He said:
81 have protested against giving out sue
information. I pointed out the necessity c
keeping It secret. War Is not ping pont
: Thousands of men are giving their lives 1
this war and you must protect them. Yo
have to protect the interests OF the cour
} try, and when you give out this informa
! ton Official as It would be through a fu
discussion In the House of Represents
tives you would supply the enemy wit
information"
} CREEL COMMITTEE ATTACKED.
Representative Temple Of Pennsylvani
advanced the idea that perhaps the cour