The Washington herald., 1918-05-10
WILSON GIVES
AIR PROBERS
RIGHT OF WAY
Congress Cannot Obstruct
Inquiry on Aircraft by
Attorney General.

The Presidents order to Attorney
General Gregory to investigate all
the ugly charges about this coun-
trys aircraft construction was fol-
lowed yesterday by measures to
xuarantee the Department Of JUS
tee q free hand in the investiga-
fion. The President made 1t plain
that neither the War Department
nor committees OF Congress will be
permitted to place any stumbling
blocks in the way Of the inquiry
which he has officially sanctioned.
Secretary of War Baker gave the
frst intimation of the Presidents
purpose when on behalf of the lat
ter he rejected requests for q mill
tary inquiry which were presented
TO him by Cen Squier. the Chief OF
the Signal Corps; Col. z. A. Deeds
direct charge Of the letting Of aero
plane contracts.
Secretary Baker, replying to these
officers. said that the Department
Of Justice is empowered to make
fun Investigation and the requests for
court martial hearings could not be
allowed.
In the Senate. also. the attitude of
the administration was reflected by
Senator James Hamilton Lewis, the
majority whip, upon the introduction
by Senator, Chamberlain Of a resolu-
ton to authorize the Committee on
Military Affairs. Of which he Is the
chairman, to go on with its inquiry.
Senator Lewis gave notice that he
VIII move to amend the resolution so
that the investigation by the commit
tee will not interfere with or hamper
the Department OF Justice. His
amendment, which he will offer
when the resolution is called up in
the Senate, will restrain the commit
tee from keeping witnesses away
from the Attorney Generals office or
doing anything else that would cause
even a temporary delay to the Attor-
ney Generals method Of procedure.
The published announcement that
Senator Reed, of Missouri, has been
agreed upon as the chairman of
the subcommittee which will con-
duct the investigation for the Sem
ate Military Affairs Committee, has
resulted in bringing to Senator
Reeds once a large number of
communications and suggestions re-
garding possible lines of inquiry
and witnesses whose testimony may
be Of value Senator Reed is col
1ating all this information for use
when the subcommittee gets down
to work
The administration will interpose
no opposition to the adoption of
Senator Chamberlain's resolution by
the Senate. Under the leadership
nF Senator IAWiE hnuvaUAr
tions will be imposed which will
safeguard the inquiry by the Attor-
ney General This will make 1t
possible for the two Investigations
to proceed independently. neither
interfering with the other.
Senator Thomas, OF Colorado. a
member of the committee. launched a
vigorous attack upon the Manufac-
turers' Aircraft Association, in .
speech delivered In the Senate yester-
day. He charged the Curtiss Aero
plane Company and the Wright Mar
tin Company with having created for
Z themselves a monopoly over all aero
plane patents, as q result of which,
he said. the government has been
called upon to pay exorbitant fees to
this association.
The initial burden imposed upon
all aircraft production by the patent
arrangements" Senator Thomas said,
was a fee OF 100000. which was to
have been paid to both the Curtiss
Company and the Wright Martin Com
pany- This was afterwards scaled
down to $1O0o.OO0. am told"
Senator Thomas said the govern
ment should have Communicated all
aircraft patents at the very begin
ming OF the war. Failure to do this,
he declared. is costing the government
dearly now because of the cross
licensing arrangement which allows
the Manufacturers Aircraft Associa-
tioh to control all the patents.
The whole business look like
protteering without limitation" Sena-
tor Thomas said after analysizing the
bylaws Of the association and its ar
rangements with the government.