davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Deeds Sfockholder
In Various Concerns

Referring to Colonel Deeds, Mr.
Hughes cited Colonel Deeds's own tes-
timony that he was stockholder and
officer in a number Of Dayton (Ohio)
concerns which, either directly or indi
rectly. we're concerned in the airplane
production activities about that city.
He was an organizer, but nof stock
holder, in the Dayton right Airplanc
Company. and it WAS to II. f. Talbot,
an officer in this company, the report
says, that Colonel Deeds sent informa-
tion on Il ruling of the judge advocate
general relating to the appraisal of
contracts, after he had been commits
stoned in the army. Other confidential
communica tions TO Talbot and other
business associates in Dayton are quot
ed, but these had been sent while Deeds
was acting in an advisory capacity to
officers in charge of contracts. For
communicating with Talbot after he
became an officer the investigation by
court martial was recommended.
Mr.. Hughes also disputed parts OF
Colonel Deedss assertions in letter
to the Aircraft Production Board that
on being commissioned he had sew
cred his official connections with and
transferred his stock in these con-
Germs: The United Motors Company.
of New York; the Dayton Engineering
Laboratories Company, Dayton Metal
Products Company and the Domestic
Building Company, OF Dayton. He
transferred stock in the United Motors
Corporation to his wife, the report
says, it was shown, and book accounts
showing the time Of the transfer Of
other stock in some cases, says the
report, were dated back to August rs,
when Deeds was appointed colonel.
although not actually made until later.
Since It is not proved. however, that
Colonel Deeds transacted any business
with those firms before he transferred
his stock, no criminal charges are made
against him.
Colonel Sidney D. Walden, assistant
to Colonel Deeds when he was chief
of the equipment division of the Sig
nal Corps, was shown, the report says
to have been stockholder in the
Packard company, but it does not ap-
pear that he took part IN any proceed
ings involving government dealings
with the concern. Colonel Robert l..
Montgomery also held stock in com
panies holding contracts for the man.
ufacture of arplanes or parts, but
| he did not deal with them in his ca
pacitv aS An officer
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
programme for Liberty motors alone
had called for about 1900 of these
by June.
Causes of Delay
Are All Discussed

Each type of airplane. and the causes
of delay in its production, is discussed
separately in the report
Mr.. Hughess comment on the LIB
crty motor included the following:
at now appears to be conclusively
established that the Liberty engine is
great success for observation and
bombing planes, and for this purpose
it has found high favor with the Allies.
Il is too heavy for the lighter pursuit
planes"
AS for the carly delay in the Liberty
motor production programme. the re
port says: There was no reason why
the development OF the Liberty motor
should have stood in the way of the
production of other motors. such as
the 1Iispano- -Suiza, for use in single
scatter pursuit planes. But so far as
the heavier observation and bombing
planes are concerned, the weight of
opinion is that it would have taken
about as long to put any other high
power motor into successful quantity
production in this country, according
to our methods of manufacture. as it
has taken to develop the Liberty
motor"
"Making due allowances for the in
evitable course of eXperime entaton. the
Liberty motor could not have been put
into large production much earlier than
it was"
The output Of Liberty motors is far
behind the original schedule, says the
report a. is shown by the preliminary
estimates that 4,725 would be delivered
last May and 4,425 in Jure, as compared
with actual deliveries of 545 in May
and ,04S in June. During this month
a,sne, however, 1000 twelve-cylinder
engines were produced it was officially
announced tonight
Of the $3.50 Liberty motors produced
up to October II, 6,895 were sfor the
army and 2794 for the navy
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Fixed Prices for
Aeropla7es Varies

Mr.. Hughes explained that the prin-
cipal orders were placed on the basis
of cost plue fixed, not Il percentage,
profit, and a bonus of 25 per cent of
any economics under an estimated cost
or "bogy."
The bogy costs" said Mr.. Hughes,
"were in all cases placed so high that
the contractor had every reason to ex-
pect that the actual cost would be much
less. and that through its share in this
saving the contractor would be able to
derive an increased profit from econom-
lca! management. 1t is apparent, how
ever, that with large fixed profit
guaranteed. the incentive: to economy is
not 50 strong as when the entire vent
ure is at the contractors risk"
For fixed profit per plane varied
with different concerns.
TIE DaytonW right Company, with
contracts for 1000 De lIaviland planes
TO be completed before next March, the
report said should make profits of
Sc. 100 900 and $3.50. 900 additional un-
der minor contracts. This company
was organized shortly after the declar-
alton oi war, with paid i'll capital of
81 100000 The government financed
the plant TO the extent of $1,405, 900,
represented by loans.
The Ford Motor Company. with con
tracts for 5000 Liberty motors. which
IL expects to complete by the end of
January. should make a profit of $5,-
375 900, Mr.. Hughes declar rcd. Its fixed
profit. the report said, is more than
$500 on engine, which it can produce
at less than $4,000, with the addition
Of moro than S400 per engine as the
plants share Of the "bogey" This
bogey is set 5000 for the Ford plant
The company's investment is said to
be not more than s11.SO0, 900.
The Fisher Body Corporation, with
contracts for 1000 De Haviland ma
chimes, should mike profit of s3,loo.-
900, with 100000 additional on other
orders, said the report. The company 8
investment on plant engaged in alrplanc
production is calculated at $3.50 900. 1t
has been loaned S2,000,000 by the gov
ernment.
The Packard Company's profits on
5000 Liberty motors, to be completed
, by next January. probably will be
/ $6,450,0 900, earned in seventeen months,
! said the report. Other profits on minor
orders may raise this to $S,0o0,o0o, it
was said. The investment represented
! is calculated at 81 .o0S,0O0.
! The Lincoln Motor Company's profits
on 5000 motors is calculated at S6,45O,-
600. with additional profits on other
contracts of 81 600, according to the
report. Investment is reported at
! S7,15O,0OO, Of which SO, 100000 repre-
sents items on which the government
pays 40 per cent depreciation. Paid-in
capital is $850,000
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Continued from page 6

"confdential adviser Of his former
business associate, H. Z. Talbot, Of
the Dayton Wright Airplane Company.
and in conveying information to Mr..
Talbot in an improper manner with
respect to the transaction of business
between that company and the division
of the Signal Corps Of which Colonel
Deeds was the head"
Deeds also merits court martial,
Judge Hughes declares, for publication
of q misleading statement regarding
the progress of aircraft production.
Criminal prosecution is urged against
Lieutenant Colonel Jesse G. Vincent,
Lieutenant Colonel George W. Mixter
and Second Lieutenant Samuel 3. Vroo-
man, jr, each of whom is accused of
dends from concerns whose contract
ual relations with the government came
within their sphere of jurisdiction.
Alien Enemies Employed
Employment Of enemy aliens, it is
shown, has not been confined to the
Ford plant, though conditions there
we're the most fragrant. About $50 Ger
man aliens are employed there, the re-
port states. Some 200 enemy aliens
including Austrians and Hungarians)
are employed at the Packard plant, De-
troit, and approximately the same num-
Der (Austrans and Hungarians only)
at the New Brunswick and Newark
n. j. plants Of the Wright
Aircraft Corporation.
Production, it is pointed out, took
= big jump after having Jagged for
fifteen months, following the United
States entry into the war Up to
tune 80 of this year only 529 De Havi-
land service planes had been turned
out and only 1890 Liberty engines.
From June 80 to October II, 1921 De
Havilands and 1.29e engines we're pro-
duced.
"The Investigation has been con-
cerned ith aircraft production. Other
activities relating to aviation, but
to production, have been touched on
only incidentally. Thus, upward OF
thirty training or flying fields with nu-
merous structures have been provided,
and to meet other aviation needs a
great variety of construction has been
required, here and abroad. These en-
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
lneMciency No Cause
For Criminal Action

Judge Hughes sums up his finding
in brief series of conclusions and
recommendations as follows:
Il. The controlling facts and the
conclusions in relation to the matters
reviewed have been stated under ap-
propriatc headings. It would be i'm
POSSIBLE to re-statc them in a brief
OF tho work of aircraft production and
the serious lack of competent direction
of that work by the responsible officers
of the Signal Corps, to which the de-
lays and waste were chiefly due, were
matters for administrative correction
through unification of effort under
competent control. The provisions of
the criminal statutes do not reach In
efficiency.
at is not within the province Of
this report to make recommendations
with respect to administrative policy,
but it should be said that under the
direction of Mr.. Ryan and Mr.. Potter
there has been improvement in organ
ization, and progress has been made
in gratifying measure.
"2 The evidence discloses conduct
which, although of a reprehensible
character, cannot be regarded as af-
fording a sufficient basis for charges
under existing statutes; but there are
certain acts shown, not only hlghly I'M.
proper in themsely but of especial
Significance, which should lead to dis
ciplinary measures.
THE evidence with respect to Colonel
Edward A. Deeds should be presented
to the Secretary Of War to the end that
Colonel Deeds may be tried by court
martial under articles 90 and SO Of the
Articles Of War for his conduct % in
acting as confidential adviser of his
former business associate, H. Z. Tai
bott, Of the Dayton Wright Airplane
Company. and in conveying informa-
tion to Mr.. Talbot in an improper
manner with respect to the trasaction
of business between that company and
the division of the signal corps of
which Colonel Deeds was the head;
and ca in giving to the representa-
tives Of the Committee on Public In
formation q false and misleading state
ment with respect to the progress Of
aircraft production for the purpose Of
publication with the authority of the
Secretary of War,
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Attorney General Gregory in his letter
to President Wilson says;

Attorney General Gregory in his letter
to President Wilson says:
BY far the greater portion is de-
soteo 70 remarkably accurate state
ment Of substantially all the transac-
tlons had since the beginning of the
war IN the course .of the development
OF the aircraft programme"
ne adds that, since he is in accord
with the report, he does not consider
IL necessary to present somewhat full
report which has heretofore been pre-
pared by the Department of Justice"
-hr. Gregory also explained: "I do
not consider II germane to this investi
garlon to enter into criticisms of the
programme or of mistakes in policy
or IN the exercise of judgment
II mas been charged that exorbi-
'sn' prohts to contractors have been
allowed. On their face value they ap-
pear 70 Be unusually liberal, but when
II is remembered than 90 per cent or
more OF them must be paid to the gov
ernment as income and excess profits
'a[eS and that most Of the net profits
WI De invested in buildings and facil-
'les winch may or may not be capable
OF proftable use for an indefinite
period after the termination of the
contract, MY conclusion is that no such
prohts have been allowed as TO Justify
charge of bad faith"
Agreeing substantially, as do
with the statement OF facts made hy
Judge Hughes, am OF the opinion tn at
1t cannot fairly be charged that a man
aging officer Of any contracting corpo-
ration has desired or attempted to de-
lay production or been actuated BY dis
loyal motives"
Secretary Baker tonight declined to
comment upon the report until he had
had opportunity to read, it carefully
he intimated. however, that no s.ep
would De taken by the military authori.
Ties against the army officers mentione d
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Vincent Held Stock
In Packard Company

Lieutenant Colonel Vincent, for
whom criminal prosecution is recon
mended, was shown, the report says,
to have authorized payment of sums to
the Packard company while he was
stockholder. Lieutenant Colonel George
w. Mixter, stockholder in the Curtisa
Aeroplane and Motor Corporation, 1t
is charged, had charge of inspectors
in that company's plant.
Major Howard c. Marmon, Signal
Corps officer, also is cited for ms CON
nections with the Thenordyke and Mar
mon Company, OF Indianapolis. whicF
held a contract for Liberty motors,
but since he had transferred his ntock
10 his mother, the report holds, there
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Prosecution of Other
Officers Is Urged

"3. The absence Of proper apprecia-
tion of the obvious impropriety Of
transactions by government officers
and agents with firms or corporations
in which they are interested compels
the conclusion that public policy de-
mands that the statutory provisions
bearing upon this conduct should be
strictly enforced 1t is therefore re-
commended that the officers found to
have had transactions on behalf of
the government with corporations in
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
T. r. Wishes Woman Luck

Colonel Roosevelt wrote a letter yes
terday TO Mrs. Sadie kost, the only
woman Republican candidate for Con-
gress in the state, hoping that she
would represent the eth District III
the next House of Representatives.
The Colonels letter follows:
''ln my speech Monday evening you
were the only candidate aside from
Governor Whitman whom | mentioned
BY name. ] earnestly wish success for
the entire Republican ticket and for
the Republican candidates for Con,
gress in New York State. but there is
not any other candidate for Congress
not even the close friend whom AM
supporting in my own DESTRUCTION
whose success | am so eager as for
yours.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
$25, ,6O5, ,O74 Expended
For Production Abroad

"The payments for manufacture
overseas amounted to $25.605, ,O74.3l as
follows:
Cash remittances to
overseas dsbursng
officers for payment
on overseas contracts
for airplanes and en-
SlIleS 81 c. coo 600 90
Paid on purchase of
materials, supplies,
etc, purchased in the
United States for
shipment abroad to
be used in overseas
manufacture of air
planes and engines. 9,005 5,074.31
Total. .............. $25 SOS, 5,O7431
The last financial reports available
are of September 80, 1918. The dis
bursements to that date. which were
made after June 80. 1918, for all aero
nautical purposes and were chargeable
to the appropriations for the prior
fiscal year CONTINUED as above stated
are as follows:
Disbursed from the
$640,O00,00O appro-
priation (Act of June
"a, 1910 ......... 1885 ,o3s.31
Disbursed from other
aeronautical appro-
priations ........ 7,25o,915.36
Total disbursed since
June 30, 1913, under
prior appropriations
for aeronautical pur-
poses ........ s1S1, 1,515 5,s53.67
"The total disbursements for aero
nautical purposes from June 80, 1918,
to September 80, 1913, arc in the ag-
gregate:
Under appropriations
prior to June 80,
1918 .............$ $1S5 5,e53.e7
Under appropriations
after that date, as
above ... $3,670.7O7
49,
Total ....S S13e,1S6, ,661.33
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01

Colored Mans High Rank

WASHINGTON. Oct. 81. The col
ored man now holding the highest rank
in the regular army is Leutenant
Colonel Benjamin Oliver Davis. a ma
tive Of Washington. d. C.. stationed
with the 9th Cavalry in the Philip
pines. He has seen service in Mexico
and number OF points in this country
and won distinction as military attacho
OF the United States in Liberia. He
was in the Spanish-American War and
won his way up from the ranks through
sheer merit.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01

until the official inquiry requested by
Major General SQuier, Colonel Deeds
and other officers connected with tho
airplane programme had been cons
pleted. When the request was submit-
ted. Mr.. Baker announced that no in
quiry would be authorized until the in
vestigations being made by the Senate
and the Department Of Justice had been
COMPLETED
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01

dangerous, and the danger may be
quite as great in the case of one who,
although not an enemy alien, is more
friendly to Germany than to the United
States.
The firms mentioned as having re
Gently revised their contracts and
thereby effected saving of over $12,-
900 to the government are the Lincoln
Motor Company, Packard Motor Com
pany and Nordyke & Marmon Com
OanN,
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Gregory's Comment
On Hughes's Report

The report is supplemented by IT 900
pages Of testimony taken from 2so wit
nesses. Concerning Mr.. Hughes's re-
port, which covers 1872 printed pages.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01
Pursuit Plane Engines
Held Back bv Delay

"lhere IS ample basis fer the con-
cluslon that had there been a sustained
effort to produce single-seater pursuit
planes. and with this definite purpose
adequate orders had promptly been
given so as to Justify the provision of
ADDITIONAL facilities by this company
and the speedy utilization of it's hiph
est capacity, engines for these pursuit
planes could have been delivered in
quantity through the winter and spring,
and large numbers of these engines
would have been available by JULY I.
1913, IN addition to the production
needed for advanced training planes
and without interfering with the de-
velopment of the high-power Liberty
motor Fhis is aside from what could
nave been accomplished through timely
arrangements made for production by
other companies.
1T now appears to be conclusively
established that the Liberty engine is
great success for observation and
bombing planes, and for this purpose
it has found high favor with the Allies.
1T Is too heavy for the lighter pursuit
| planes"
The report shows contracts for % 500
motors were awarded to the following
companies:
Lincoln, Motor Company ..... 5000
Packard Motor Car Company - 5000
Nordyke & Marmon Co. 3 900
| Trego Motor Corporation. .. 500
Ford Motor Company. .......... 5000
General Motors Corporation. 49,. 1000
The contracts for the De Haviland
service planes were confined to the
1000; Fischer Body, 1000, and Stndard
! Aircraft COrDOratiOn 500
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01

In this months s Person
atty there's an article
about the new Dogs Wool
Association, formed by a
select committee Of fash
ionable ladies in defence of
peeled Pekinese. and other
pet Poms and poodles, on
the theory that an excep-
tionally high class WOOL
can be obtained from these
limousine lizards.
Apparently a new source
Of supply, but ''once dog,
always dog and we agree
with the author that while
it sounds all right. we
should hate to be followed
around by bereft dog gaz-
ing at our trousers with an
air Of dismal proprietorship.
Neither would it be con-
venient to have lot of other
dogs trying to bite the seat
out of them. We would
rather have clothes made oi
less emotional material
wool from the Unconditional
sheep!
New-York tribune., 1918-11-01

Our Shopping Service is
for people near or far. If
inconvenient to come or
bring your boy maybe we
can help. 1t costs but a
postage stamp to try.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
Movement Begun in Death
House Agitated State
TKyHO snred Stieloac2

TTTHO s0red S1eloW?
w The Tribune the
-
the the
schether the credit belongs
inspired to
SunrtM into the
Val oForreH ose gathered the Information Submitted the
Mr. kohn trial proceedings the
chich Sielo socoled alleged
tanned By Detectue ". Nevtom and other
Thomas OGrady the Buffalo detective,
the murdered and traced it back Ervin King,
M.
keeper,
George H. Bond the who reported
innocent, or
Justice Charles cho midnight hours
achen he had q to
The MhoNamd w. Hunt
ington w. A in
Aishn Appelbau Sophie Loeb wh
contributed time and the
Charles repeatedly refusing relief
has pardoned him, sinnoce
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

against the wall, and said: Charlie,
who murdered old man ~Phelps?' and
repeated it several times"
Odd you hit him ?" asked Kohn.
"Well, not very hard.
~ grabbed him and said, Charlie,
who killed old man Phelps?' three or
four times, roughlike. Charlie said, Il
don't know l rushed at him again,
grabbed him by the throat, and said:
You - -, who killed Mr.. Phelps 2
He answered, Il don't know! 1 don't
know l grabbed him again and said,
Come along with me We took him
in the machine to the hotel and held
him there all night. The three of US
went at him all night, hammer and
tongs. I finally told him that if he
would tell me that Nelson shot Phelps
1 would let him go home to his wife.
But after he made these admissions l
notified the District Attorney, the
sheriff and called in the county treas
urer, before whom he made full con-
fession."
"That was clever piece of work"
the dictaphone record quotes Mr.. Kohn
as saying. allow do you account for
so many people having worked on the
case without success and you jumping
on this man, fairly forcing the con-
fession out Of him as you did, in view
of the fact that all these other de-
tective agencies had such strong cir
cumstantial evidence against these
ether parties?"
"Well," came the answer, "that was
the master mind over the weaker
VICTIM"
With this record and the affidavits
of himself and others who had taken
part in or overheard Newton's story
Kohn went to Albany with Miller tt
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

from diseases that are preventable. No
food commodity is so suspectible to
food germs as milk. Nearly everything
else is washable. Vegetables are washed
and boiled, doing away almost wholly
with the danger of impurities. But it
is not so with milk. Milk should be
that it is unlike anything else. There
is only one kind of milk. It is a com
mon and an indispensable thing. The
element of exploitation of such food
product should be absolutely elm
mated, particularly in war times. We
may have to come down to milk and
potatoes diet. If we should, or if we
should approximate it, there should be
public control. The Board of Health
Of this city has recommended a mu-
nicipal milk plant, but the Common
Council cannot bring itself to see it
as an essential thing. We have never
had real referendum vote on the
question. We have had two or three
mass meetings, and the idea was
unanimously approved. / went before
the Senate committee a few weeks ago
and argued in favor of the bill giving
the cities fuller degree Of municipal
ownership. Among the special bills
WAS
one increasing the salary of the Mayor
Of the city of jamestown from $1,000
to S2,100. That bill was killed during
the closing hours of the Legislature
l was told afterward that it was be-
cause ! had been too ardent in my
argument before the Senate committee
in favor Of municipal ownership. In
city like jamestown, where there is
a high average Of intelligence and
civic pride, and where the business men
are naturally conservative, AM con-
fident that the ownership and operation
OF municipal milk plant would be a
time our people will come around to
it, but it may take some time to get
q Common Council that will see it as
do. guess I'll have to keep pegging
away ct the idea and be patient until
! get it."