New-York tribune., 1918-05-12

Let us dlSpoSe OF the two questions
raised by Mix, who formerly was an
officer Of the army, and Mix's en- en-
gineer (Henry Harrison Suplee, con-
sultlng engineer of the Dodge COM
pany). Their first and foremost charge
Is that used the Presidents authority
improperly and in a manner unmen-
tlonable between men in mutual con-
| fidence
II deny this; it is a frame-up, shaped
especially to offend, as it properly
should, the President. My regret is
that it seems to have been successful,
and he (the President) published, un-
fairly to me and without warning some
of his letters to me. About this time
| received further information from
a confidant of the President that the
Administration now possessed club
that would put me out of business if
l did not quit.
"The second charge is that I was
party to or in some way or another
was secretly engaged in airplane pro-
ductlon, using my position and con-
tldence of the President to this ad-
vantage.
II deny that falsehood as unfounded
in every detail, without reason or sup
port l wish to add also regarding
Mr.. Mix that he came to my attention
Aircraft Board and submitted to my
office lengthy typewritten statement
charging the Aircraft Department with
culpable retardation and DELAYS pref
judicial to the interests of the country.
The original Of this statement was re-
turned to Mr.. Mix at his earnest plead
ing after he had confessed that he had
been IN communication with uni
formed member of that board and had
been heavily commissioned by that
member.
MIR. Mix is witness for specific
charges of crookedness himself made
against Colonel Deeds. and Colonel
Deeds's partners, and will, If the gov
ernment does not persist in 'whitewash-
ing this entire business, be compelled
to appear as a party with Deeds in mat
ters Mix himself designated as
Crooked
Regarding Mr.. Bakers statement of
PRO German influence. this unfortunate
statement from an officer of the gov
ernment whose Office has resisted sue
cessfully every effort to investigate and
get at the truth upon any subject re-
lating to the war, and whose depart
ment is so amply supplied with advis-
ers, close in the confidence of the
Secretary. of Teuton origin, is ludi-
crous. ! DO not here impugn the patri-
| II. saw.
candidly and emphatically, that 1t IS
unfair to ask German blood, although
born in America, to be as prompt as
war demands in the execution of or
ders against their Fatherland."
did Secretary Baker directly ac-
cuse you of prof. oGermanism 2" Mr..
Borglum was asked at this point.
His men did and he knew; that will
all come out" answered Mr.. Borglum.
"Never has department Of govern
ment of great nation submitted an
agent of it's executive to such con-
temptible, unjustified sloughing and
general interference as was prosecuted
| against me in my work, and I chal-
| lenge Mr.. Baker, or any department Of
the government, to investigate or to
explain and justify in any way their
conduct in this. Every American now
knows that the War Department has
systematically directed the opposition
to investigation, and that every subter-
Mr.. Borglum here reverted to his
charge that he had been indirectly ac-
cused of causing the death of Blakeley,
the aviator.
81 have also been accused" he con-
tinued, "of stealing a trunkful of blue
prints of famous Italian airplane,
and that these, with the present
:ioi SoS ana PoSslply otnerS, nave Deen
in the hands of the Military Intelli-
gence Department, Secretary Baker,
Mr.. Coffin, and now learn also of Mr.
Marshall, Vice President of the United
States. No use was made of them, and
l had never been given an opportunity
to explain or know of them officially
until it became apparent that l would
stand by the subject (aviation delay
until it was investigated.
II am sorry, more than I can say,
that we should suddenly be thrown
into difference over a proper affair,
an honest investigation that honest
men would never object to, and 1 can
not but think that the Secretary of
Wars blow at me is other than q colos-
sal blunder. Personally, l am not of
the remotest Importance in this mat
ter. The nation demands to know why
billion dollars in eleven months has
provided us with no planes. Next it
demands to know who is responsible.
Who is it that is so powerful that he
can make it dangerous to the charac-
ter and honor of men to ask this ques-
ton? ?"
Mr.. Borglum explained that a tele
gram sent by him to Mr.. Mix on De-
cember 81, 1917, and marked Exhibit
A in the Senate's investigation re-
ferred entirely to Mr.. Mix's desire to
construct light warplane at the
Dodge Companys plant. The telegram
was as follows:
Like your suggestion to Gibson.
Write me fully part you and your COM
pany can play. I have a staff of ex-
perts with the best foreign experience
who can come close to delivering 100
per cent article. Necessary also can
arrange finances with the best New
York banks. Washington is watchful,