The sun., 1918-05-12
B0RGLUM GOES
TO WASHINGTON
WITH AIR FACTS
Sculptor Says Accusations
Are Lies-Sure He
Can Prove 1t.
EXPLAINS MIX CHARGES
Refutes Every Statement
Made by Indiana Adver-
tising Man.
MIX CHARGES


mittee when called. with afidavits not
only proving his charges Of failure In
aircraft production and giving reasons ,
therefor. but refuting the accusation Of ;
self-interest and abuse OF the Presidents !
confidence made against him In docu- !
ments given to the Senate on Friday by !
Senator Thomas Of Colorado.
In q formal statement and in inter .
views the sculptor professed belief that :
he expects to clear his own name and
inculpate some Of his accusers as well |
~ to make good his charges against !
tho Aircraft Production Board and the
Signal Corps Of the United States Army
In a casual way. as II ne thought II
had already been published. he said
Secretary Of War Baker or Mr. Bakers
friends had accused him Of being pro-
German and that he had also been ac-
cused In Washington Of having !ndi-
rectly caused in order to discredn the
Liberty motor. the death Of Harold
Blakeley. Government aviation In
structor. who. with his merhanician.
Edward Higgins. was killed when their
airplane fell at the Jericho aviation field.
Long Island, on January l6.
Charges Were Known.
He said these were samples OF the
stories that were being told about him
in Washington. and that. although these
, matters. together with the charges aired
by Senator Thomas. had been known to
President Wilson. Secretary Baker and
others for some time no opportunity had
been given him to explain them officiaily
sss,y,tn ma n mn 1oc
that would insist upon an :nvestiga-
ton"
! Borglum said also that Mfr. Bakers
statement OF pro German influence. COM
Ing from an ofYiccr OF the Government
who has successfully resisted every EFFORT
to investigate subjects relating to the
war. ie ludicrous."
AS to Kenyon w Mix Of the Dodge
Manufacturing Company. whose long
statement. put into the records by Sena-
! tor. Thomas. accused Borglun of trying
to use his reputed standing at the White
House for personal proht in aircraft
manufacture. the sculptor fatty taxed
Washington officials with having won
4, Mix TO their side In the controversy by
giving him large airplane contracts.
BUrElum said that after Mix had charged
the aircraft department OF the Govern
ment with culpable delays he sud-
|
to him (Borglum) that he had got the
promise Of large contracts from a uni
formed member Of the Aircraft Produc-
ton Board.
calls Him Deeds's Agent.
In his formal statement yesterday
Borglum, after branding as lies" the
assertions OF Mix and Henry Harrison
Suplee. CHIEF engineer Of the Dodge
Manufa curing Company said that Mix
was a formal agent OF Col E. A. Deeds
Of the Signal Corps who has been spe-
cially attacked by Borglum for alleged
airplane bunglins. The statement con-
tinues.
LET US dispose OF the two questions
. separately raised by Col. Deedss former
agent. Mix. and Mix's engineer. Thei,
first and foremost charge Is that I used
the Presidents authority Improperly
and in manner unthinkable between
men In mutual confidence. I deny this
. it is frame up shaped especially &c
offend. as it properly should. the Presi
dent. My regret is that 1t seems to have
been successful. and he published. un.
: fairly to me and without warning, some
} Of his letters to me. About this time
l received further information from 6
confidant Of the President that the Ad
m.nistration now possessed a club tina
: would put me out OF business IL l die
5 not quit.
t Their second charge is that ] wa
g PARTY to. or in some way was secret,
engaged in. arplane production. u3.c:
my position and confidence of the Presi
~. dent to this advantage. l deny tina
falsehood In every detail as unfounded
without reason or support.
II wish also to add. regarding Mix
that he came to my attention through hi
G own charges against the aircraft boar,
y and submitted lengthy typed statemen
q charging the aircraft department witt
culpable retardation and delays preju
dicial to the interests Of the country.
q Original Sent Back.
:, The original Of this statement wa
returned to Mr.. Mix at his earnest plead
ings. after he had confessed that he ha
- been in touch with uniformed membe
of the board and by his own statemen
had been heavily commissioned by tina
member.
Mix is witness for specific charge
i of 'crookedness' he himself charge
- against Col. Deeds and Deeds's part
y ners,' and WILL II the Government doe
= not persist In whitewashing this entir
:. business. be compelled to appear as
70 party with Deeds In matters Mix hin
!, self designated as crooked
"Regarding Mr.. Bakers statement {
pro-German influence This unfortuna,
statement Is ludicrous.
II do not here impugn the patriotisi
. OF any Of these men. ] do say candidl
Z and emphatically that II is unfair to AZ
German blood, though born in Americ
,. to be as prompt as war demands in Il
10 execution OF their orders against the
fatherland Never has n department
a government OF a great nation submi
"A ted an agent OF Its Executive to sue
ia contemplate. un1ustihed sloughing al
~ general interference as was prosecute
v against me In my work, and challenl
,a Mr.. Baker or any department Of Il
ic Government to investigate or to expla
r. and Justify In any way their conduct
.. this.
v. "Every American knows now that Il
iy War Department has systematically d
e- rected the opposition to investigate tn
IN every subterfuge has been resorted
I'd to gain time, Every investigation---ar
there have been many--has been inst
tuted with prayer and hope that