Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-26
Danger Confronts Nation From
Unpreparedness and Tardi-
ness, 1t Is Asserted.
AIRCRAFT DECLARED
80 DAYS BEHIND TIME
Senators Lodge and Poindexter Out
spoken in Denouncing Conditions
in Face Of Fight for Civilization.

Senator New OF Indiana, speaking
in the Senate today, declared lthat
fntead Of 1z.00O eonabattang airpIanes
being delivered in France by July I,
as provided I'm the original air.
plane program. the number wnl ~
only thirty-seven.
A bitter arraignment of this coun-
try's tardiness in war preparation and
earnest warning of the danger said to
be confronting the nation as a result Of
failure to prepare was voiced in the
Senate this afternoon.
A scathing criticism of the alleged col
lapse of aircraft production was made
and the fact was elected that the pro-
duction is ninety days behind the sched-
ule.
1t also was brought out that the new
liberty motor for battle planes may b
abandoned and used only for bombing
planes. new motor. to be developed BY
the international board to replace II
Wants Facts Brought Out.
Senator Lodge started the debate IN
the Senate in an fmpassioned warning
to the country against the situation -
he views it, and appealed to the
authorities to tell the country the truta
esS al 81 spifit M nay ss fiss Is occss5s
I'VE are now fghting for SylliNae
sSs sa1d SnstSs ssfs @oEtS % iisss1 a 81 8
soon BE- nEhting for our very exfsfsncs
las an Independent nation"
He said that as one fndfvidun1 -
know Just what the situation ID, -
that they win rise up and meet It
he said that one whole year had pcpc-
the people had given their sons and
their money generously, the country
was not yet equipped for war.
Mistakes Huge, But Being Repairsd.
Senator Hitchcock Of Nebraska said !
been enormous, they are now in C00f1e
Of being repaired.
He spoke particularly of aircraft pro-
ductfon, saying that in q short timefhe
country will know all the facts about
the aircraft situation.
Senator Poindexter said IL was gratf-
flying to hear that after one year OF
warfare the country may still get some
production He said the facts are wei
known and they are that this country
has no battlepianes-
SAYS No Battle Planes, Is Plan.
Senator Poindexter further charged
that il is the deliberate purpose Of the
aircraft administration that we are moi
to have battle PLANES at all 1t must be e
gratifying to Americans to know thatz
their battle front in France is now pro-
tected by French battle planes" he obs /,
served.
I'VE never will see." said Senator
Poindexter, "a battle plane such as was
exhibited here last Sunday sun By the
ministration does not intend to build
any of that kind" - :.
Senator Hitchcock declared that the
estimates of 10000 airplanes of last
summer by the aircraft production
board to be ready by next July had
fallen to $4,000. then to 1000 and now
only ope-tenth of the number at nrsf
estimated for are likely to be furnished
Men high in the organization of the
airplane production board stated to me
to produce airpIanes some mysterious
and unknown influence that is putting
the blight all of the efforts of the
board" Senator Poindexter declared.
on behalf of wealthy and influential
persons in his state, the senator said.
he offered to the board all the spruce
needed, but this offer was refused.
II could have got this spruce nine
months ago." he declared. "and it could
have been obtained for the asking at
a fair price"
At this point Senator Overman. demo-
crat, of North Carolina, urged Senator
Poipdexter to deSist, saying sucn re-
marks only distress the american peo-
pie adding that il was time when
men should work together
Senator Poindexter retorted that IL
conditions We're such as had been repre-
sented, it was the duty of every person
to see that they were corrected.
Senator Lodge Rebukes Delay.
Compulsory military training was ad-
yocated by Senator Lodge. who declared
thai he had favored this plan before
the present war. and, now that the ma
tion is engaged IN the struggle. was
more in favor of 1t. He urged adoption
of the amendment to the draft law in-
troduced by Senator New OF Indiana.
providing for the training of boys be- -
one years. declaring if there were nor
other excuse it would provide a valu-
able training. The measure. he added
is one of immediate value.
THE fate of this war is trembling in s.
the balance" Senator Lodge declareds
"Our gallant allies are holding back the
Germans with certain sacrifices and.
In this dark hour it is a crime to keep
from the people the facts that Germanx
herself knows s.
It has been known for weeks that
no American fighting planes are IN
France, Senator Lodge declared Some
weeks ago the Secretary of War told
the public that some planes were being
sent abroad. but Senator Lodge de- &
cIared that there were only two French
models that were being returned
No Fightipg Planes There.
1--WE haven't fighting plane thera,e
he continued our front ts qndefendet