The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-04-04
Delay Largely Due to
Changes in specifications.
Inquiry Shows.
BIG JUMP IN OUTPUT
Marshall Board Will Speed Up
observation-disclosures
Of Shakcup.

w NASf'NtloN, Sptii o. w hctneI VI
not President Wilson will make any
change in the present organization in
charge OF aircraft production as a resul.
of the delays which have occurred will
depend upon the report OF the special
board OF investigate headed by Snow
den Marshall. which has been making a
most painstaking and exhaustive investi-
CATION OF the present status Of the air
craft programme and the reasons for the
delays
This board has also been authorized to
suggest any changes at once which II
thinks necessary to speed things UP.
The board has not finished Its report
of its conclusions:
That the aircraft programme is from
three 10 four months behind. and that
The chief reason for this delay has
been the many changes in spec!fca-
tlous
That quantity production Of air.
planes is under way now, with the re-
suit that the first requirement OF our
forces will he successfully met and
that the airplanes called FOR under the
second requirement will be In France
10y July.
Liberty Motor q success.
That the Liberty motor ie am entire
success and has been SO adjudged by
the Allies.
That present indications are that
American factories will be turning out
bombing planes in quantities by July
and will be turning out some battle
planes.
That experience has shown thai bat
tie planes can best be turned out by
'he foreign makers. who are prepared
to adjust themselves more quickly to
the changes in specifications made
necessary In bringing battle planes up
to date. For this reason the board
believes that this country should con-
centrate more on training and bomb
ing planes 20 supply both ourselves
and the Allies and. by relieving the
Allies Of this manufacture. to enable
them to concentrate on battle planes.
That the Allies are either ahead OF
tine Germans on airpiane production or
so near to II that this country's con-
tr'bution in few months will give
the Allies undoubted superiority in the
air.
The Marshall board has also arranged
~ Ep'Vh w 1oli anu idS Seel
10 II that production shall go ahead on
pi esent plans. while a separate technical
force shall at the same time engage it,
self with making Improvements.
Rumors are current hera that a re-
suit Of the situation which has arisen the
Aircraft Production Board will ne re
organized by the President a. soon az
the Marshall boards repor, ls made.
There are Grouping up unofficial and
voluntary organizations Offering to tel
:he President what Is wrong and how /;
should be corrected Alan Il. Hawley
pr-aiden, OF the Aero club. IN o long
letter to the President made public to.
day explains VIVA. ls at fau,t and how 4
should be Corrected
Tomorrow the .,eronaut,cal Society o.
America il to ho'd meeting in New
York for the sams purpose
200 Liberty Motors shipped.
According TO army officers nearly 20C
Liberty motors have been Shipped
abroad while the Senate committee Ea,
been investigating charges that non.
would he ready hy jug. More thar
sixty-f've motors for combat planes wer.
turned over to be put into battle plane,
during the last week OF March while in,
Vestigatiou has been going on as Il
whether there would be thirty-seyeI
battle planes or any number OF com
pleted machines by july.
Henry t'ord's factories ar. report &c
to he turning out now more than o.06t
cylinders a day.
The consensus in army circles is tina
the airplane progra is behind time
just as Is every othe" war programme
whether regarding ships guns or shoes
and that the airplare work has not beer
so much retarded as other industries
The prime cause OF the delay. II /!
explained. was the hard winter and lacl
OF coal which hit each and every wa
industry in about the same proportion.