The sun., 1917-07-15
HOUSE PASSES
.$64O,OOO,OOO
AVIATION BILL
Measure Authorizes Build
ing and Operation of Vast
Fleet to Win War.
APPROVAL Is UNANIMOUS
Legislators Confer Broad Pow
ers on U. s. Army Officers
in Rushing Plans.
APPROVAL is UNANIMOUS

WASHINGTON, July 14.-As an earnest
of Americas will to win the war. the
House celebrated the French national
holiday to-day by passing in record
time and without opposition or material
amendment a measure which devotes
S640, 200. 600 to the construction and OPP
GRAFTON OF a vast aerial fleet.
Enthusiasm over the prospects for
decisive success on the European battle
fronts and the desire Of the Military
Affairs Committee that the House re-
frain from demanding details of the
plans of expenditure for this vast feet
which might be OF value to the enemy
almost stampeded the House into pass
ing the measure without debate and
without adequate opportunity for nec-
essary perfecting amendments.
This was prevented by the insistence
of Chairman Fitzgerald for thirty min
utes in which to discuss the admins
trative features and appropriation laws
involved in the measure. General de-
bate was limited to an hour and a half
and the reading Of the bill was ex-
pedited.
No attempt was made to require de-
tails OF plans from the committee, who
offered to make such details as given
the committee by Secretary Baker and
Gen, Squier in secret sessions available
to individual members who should de-
mand them. A suggestion that the
House receive this information in ex-
ecutive session was not supported.
Changes in the Bill.
The only changes OF any importance
made in the bill involved a limitation of
the availability OF the funds TO the end
of the current fiscal year and a limit
to the end OF the existing emergency
on broad powers conferred on military
officers In the acquisition of buildings
and grounds for aviation work.
Preliminary discussion OF the extent
to which the House should interrogate
the committee brought out sharp criti-
cisms Of the more or less detailed infor-
nation on the aviation plans which the
Bureau of Public Information has dis
seminated. s...,. .....t.
"If you tell the enemy what you are
going to do in any branch of our service
he will get ready to meet you," said
Representative Kahn, land when you 20
over there with your flying machines he
will be ready for you. 1t Is, therefore,
found secret
why is it." asked Representative
Fitzgerald. that the only place It is
feared to discuss these matters because
they may become public is in the
Congress of the United States? hold In
my hand copies of the official bulletin
and II the gentleman desires information
about the aeroplane service he can find
II quite volumlnously set forth in state
ments issued by the Council OF National
Defence. But we. must not discuss them
here for fear somebody would discover
what has happened"
"CIamp Down Lid" Says Kahn.
THE committee took occasion to call
the attention of the Secretary to the
information that has been disseminated
from time to time through the Council
of National Defence" replied Mr.. Kahn
THAT does not make 1t right. We might
as we'll begin now to clamp down the
lid"
"If Germany knows that we appropri.
ate $640. 100000 for the purpose OF con.
structing aeroplanes cannot she ap.
proximate the number of aeroplanes thai
we maker" asked Representative Cooper
of Wisconsin.
NO" replied Mr. Kahn. because
aerOplaneS are OF uiHerent klndS, OF Oil
ferent sizes. They cost all the way from
$4,000 to $4,000 each, and 1t woulC
be impossible to tell how many We
have"
Reverting later TO information giveT
out In the past by the Council of Ma
tional Defence Mr.. Kahn said: "Th,
Secretary informed the committee tina
so far as the War Department was con
cerned there will be no Information
given out regarding this subject In thu
future"
"Did you ever buy pig in a poke ?
Minority Leader Mann asked in support
ing Kahn's contention. Sometimes 4
turns out very fortunately; sometimes
with the loss OF the money invested
And ] believe that the time has arrived
with our country when we can afford t.
spend an immense sum of money in try
ing out the control OF the air and Sc,
first whether that will give us control o
the battle front second, whether II will
strike decentralization and produce revo
luton in Germany itself. If had m!
! way about It would pass this bill
without saying a word"
This statement was greeted with lou
applause and cries OF Vote I" Vote :
| from all parts of the floor. but the at
tempt to obtain unanimous consent L
pass the bill without debate was abaa
doned in the face of MIR. FStzgerald's in
sistence that he have thirty minutes I
I