The sun., 1918-05-23
SENATEPLAN
FOR OWN AERO
PROBE HALTED
Hughes's Promise to Report
Discoveries Fully Held
to Obviate Need.
HE ALSO OPPOSES IT
Substitute for Chamberlain
Measure Accepted With
out Expected Clash.
REALLY G.. o. P. VICTORY
Gives Authority and Funds
for War Investigations by
subcommittee.
REALLY G. o. P. VICTORY
special pespateh TO THE scS.

special Despatch TO THE ScS.
W.sHINGroN. May 22.-Announcement
bv charles f. Hughes that in his in
,s.tisation OF the aircraft situation he
will not he bound by the restrictions OF
having to seek only for criminal actions
or the basis for civil suits by the Govern
men, brought about . complete change
to-day in the situation in Congress in
regard to the Investigation upon which
the Department OF Justice has embarked.
Mr. Hughess announcement. which
threw the first light on his plans. was
made in a letter to Attorney General
Gregory following the conference by Mr..
Hughes. Mr.. Gregory and Senator
Chamberlain Saturday.
Mr.. Hughes makes 1t clear that IN no
circumstances will ne. ~ result Of his
delving into the situation. bring In .
negative report even II the discoveries
show neither criminality nor fraud.
VIII Let People Knew An.
The view taken by the Nsv York
juris, is that the public has Z right to
snpec, an explanation. and that IN MS
opinion a report. which told the Amer.
ican people fairly and sduarsly every
thing tina. the Investigators may dis
cover is what the American people are
entitled to receive.
With this letter Of Mr.. Hughes before
it the Senate Military Committee, even
il the face Of Its victory achieved noise
less,y in the Senate earlier In the day'
decided unanimously this afternoon TO
=, SIR Hughes have free rein and to
withhold any forward movement on Ns
par, while the Hughes Investigation u
under way. Mr.. Hughes's letter to the
Acknowledgement follows:
In accordance with your requs0 !
sail attempt to summarize brieny some
- the points discussed In our conference
today. particularly with respect to the
scope Of our inquiry.
Il. Is quite evident from the ma
t.risl you have already gathered ana
from the matter discussed with you
aud Mr. FriersOn that 1t would oe nee
tssary for US carefully to- examine AL
,,e activities relating to aircraft pro-
tuction.
Ut is easy Of course theoretically to
G.t nguish between an inquiry WITHIN
tic province of the Department OF JUS
t.,N and one which IL aimed merely AZ
alleged waste or neglect or mismanage-
men, or inefficiency apart from any ap'
propriate basis for a civil suit to re-
cover mlsappropriated money or q Grim
Dal prosecution.
As a practical matter. however. II II
dent that in the endeavor to deter
mine whether there is q basis for civil
s4t by the Government or crimina
prosecution 1t will be necessary for vi
10 make a thorough inquiry into the
IRE history OF aircraft pfoductior
sn.e the beginning Of the war and OF
al proceedings which have been taker
b. any person or corporation concerned
taerewta
VIII Act AccordinG 70 Eviaeace
We shall not be able to ascertain
whether there has been dishonesty o.
rsyersa,ion OF any kind unless We 81
thorou:nly into. all the transaction'
which nave been had.
y: We discover a basis for ciSil sun
b, the Government they will be insti
'nted 7, we find grounds for a cr1mina
,osecution II will be In order to &
before the Grand Jury to obtain indict
'nen's. II we md no sufficient DASH
FOR such proceedings our conclusion u
be convincing to the country could no
we'll be stated as . men, negative con
cusion IN general terma but should
s-companied by a fair. ~3did ana ade
quate statement. OF the Avs which ou
Investigation has disclosed
We should Of course In ~ case max
sNatement which from . nNtary view
point should not b made. And II VI
lad basis for civil or crimi ~ proceed
.nss We should properly rsservn the sv'
deuce 80 tar 40 tt would-bs ppkuT'atei
disclosed upon the TRIAL and perSiousi
,hheid.
Blu, am very sure that the sstatr
would not be contsnt With our inSAS5
and particularly u We ,dts6svsr y
ground for further psessslinSs. vnisO =
showed the basis for our conciusson >
en- adequate report Of t,ss fscts ~ hav
sscertaised. This csrtAin0 ahoaA .
eispassisnats and impartial and b cor
sned N the facts. When ~ are " . p
ei,ion IN make such Teper ~ ou
Hquir' We shah sheW facts an4 % ~
y res,urins to the ceaafry ss1 suI