The Washington times., 1918-02-02

Col. Z. A. Deeds and mis- associate.
Colonel Montgomery, Of the air craft
service, appeared before the Senate
Committse on Military Affairs. Their
examination In relation to the con-
tracts Of the Ehgsi Aircraft Com
pany, Of Niles, Ohio, was resumed.
This was at the morning session
Of the committee. During the hrst
hour they testified on other matters.
And IN this first hour the epumittee
seemed to be In = most uncomfort-
able, not TO say untenabls. position
Nothing had been said in the tssti-
mony Of the previous day Of the can
collation. BY the Secretary Of War Of
the contracts with the Engel COM
The testimony had shown, or al
legged, that the Engel company. on an
original investment Of go, 900, was
capitalized for $s ,000, 900, with 1921,
900 in contracts for parts Of aero
planes frpm the War Department,
and that n. d. Baker, president Of
the company, was . brother OF the
Secretary Of War.
Perhaps the committee may have
felt as some Newspaper correspond
ents felt after reading Seeretary
Bakers statsnsnt Of the cancellation
Of the contracts and the retirement
Of his brother at his suggestion. A
Newspaper correspondent at the Cap
itoI, En6ving this and falling 70 tale
rraph It, might End explanation sat
isfactpry to .himkeh or 10 others dif-
fcult indeed. The solution OF the
committs<,s difficulty developed
gradually. Il Colonel Deeds himself
did mot know Of the cancellation of
the contract, how reesnt must the
order have been? One answer was
sperhaps three weeks.S This was re-
dticed TO Htwo weeks Then ~ten
days. was mentioned. The date was
then mentioned as January FL and
finally q copy Of the order Of can
cellationrsigned by General Squieri
datsd3 3fnn1pR1, was produced and
reaAL LfrDe q .nseord. This relieved
isc1kls1l1rsI IicnsB Of the air craft
1Iuni eemmittse from the
y@'. "a @I nnpardonable blun-
- - ~ berately made pub
~ - eentlsets with q.
rtl7 - |'|1F Without having put
,l><k4tlt6[ 1eellation order into
<-<{sry Eaker,S statement vas
- fsSd fatosthe record. Senator
= <hnyst1 produced copies Of
80 "a Eitd De Engel Company.
6hS. fost dki4 VAS read ~ Novem-
e.,7t57. 80 10. .S1ly 900; another
a. .| W 81. Vas fos sl73,o0o.
ThsIEni3 e ne eRsk was mentioned
q N ope5cers aasp
I,li-las7 s.-1.S r
Colonel nonl bNsry considered
the total afae6l the contracts
WITH The Enssl 6o1apAny small. He
said their work ~ satisfactory. and
that Engel was e4Fexpert In aero
plane construction.It was the IN
tention to give them still larger con-
tracts. The work In general would
b DELAYED by the cancellation or
q thought. II thirty days notice
xtft fequired after q cancellation
cfder, dated ten days ago, the con-
trns14 might still be technically In
f6Ssa but practically the connection
- kha.Iar Department with the En-
- company had been severed by
- falsgram Of cancellation sent,
fanuafy q, by General Spier, under
s>tetary Bakers instruction: The
<Ifnssses knew that the president 81
- company was Secrelaly BakSfa
BROTHER, but it'would SppsaG that og]
January 81, they did not know be
had Withdrawn from the ceppany on
that account Wv
The days procee1ings. as affecting
the Engel Company, were quiet with
strained dramatic interest attaching
to the deveolpments. The last act IL
still TO come, but the days develop
meuts show that the dfama, nov on
longer q Comedy Of Errors" Is In
ia political relations, tragic, a. part
Oh the unspeakable tragedy OF
"Armageddon."
An objection privstely urged 70
Secretary Baker 10 that be was once
President of . Cleveland peace
society. Theodore Roosevelt once
COX the Nobel (DyrGmite) prize -
the greatest living pacinst Of that
particular year. This was before be
became the greatest living exponent
Of Armaseddoa a. the place or
period Of universal massacre, In the
prophecies be has studied.
Testimony before the COMMITTEES
ON Military Affairs in relation TO
spruce wood for aeroplanes deyel-
oped that its contracts had been
managed by volunteer experts, who
had secured places on the Commit
tee Of National Defense. The price
Of spruce suitable for asroplanes in
creased out Of all reason. Lumber
experts have put over a good
thing" according to the witnesses--
including former Gov. Oswald West.
He. testified to q lack Of confidence
IN Mr.. George Long ~ q volunteer
expert and contractor. II was not
personal. He merely refused to be-
iieye that any one could be trusted
10 advise the Government when his
own profits from the Government
were involved. This testimony from
aAvaral wftneSsAs Hiyen at lan1th