The Washington times., 1918-04-11
|NFORMAT|ONFOR
ENEMY IN REPORT
ONAEROPROGRAM
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

there was OF course q supply from
Great Britain and France.
BY a simple process OF subtraction
Germany can get at statistics of the
allies aeroplane strength In certain
sectors OF the American line. The
Senate told in detail exactly how
many planes are to be built in France
and the United States in the next
Few months-military plans eagerly
sought by Germany
Consulted We 0fneers.
So far as is known the Senate Com
mittee after getting its testimony from
officers Of the Signal Corps. did not con-
suit anyone In the military establish
ment OF the Government who is familiar
enough with the military values Of
such statistics as to prevent the pub
hcatfon Of this information.
Undoubtedly the same effect as de-
sired By the Senate Committee could
have been secured by cooperation with
the men who knew just what II Is thar
General Pershing Is anxious be kept
secret for the present and the report
would not have lost any Of Its effective
ness
All this s entirely aside from the
merits Of the Senate committees reports.
OF which there are two-a majority
finding. critieising severely the incom-
petence Of the Signal Corps and the
minority report pointing out that wrong
impressions are given by the majority's
action.
Something Wrong.
That there is something radically
wrong with our aeroplane program is
now fully demonstrated. The public
has been misled in the sense that 1t
has been given exaggerated estimates
Of what could be expected.
Il admit we have been over-enthus-
iastic," remarked one officer to me
today. I'VE didn't know the difficult
ties we would encounter and we didn't
count on delays and transportation
troubles. And. too. some OF the men
who talked about 1000 aeroplanes
didn't know that there wasn't ground
enough In Franco mean aiddromes
enough-to take care Of such q guam
tity Of aircraft. an dthat must include
mechanics and workers. We have
been talking In the thousands when
We should have been talking in the
hundreds.
Somewhat the same mistake Is now
being made. incidentally, with refer
ence to troop movements. Estimates
have been printed indicating that we
would have nearly two million men
in France by the end Of the year.
Hypothetical EstImate.-
Such estimates are hypothetical
They are based on tonnage not yet
secured but promised. They are
based on the theory that the flow OF
troops will not be interrupted by
urgent demands for more food and
materials More conservative esti-
mates would have been better for the
public mind. Then II those estimates
were improved upon. thee would be
cause for congratulation whilst an
estimate from respon-
sible authorities is rarely forgiven
With respect to aircraft production,
the stories still conflict. Certainly
America isn't going to have the bat
tie planes which first estimates said
would be obtained-many thousands
But several hundred" is not an in-
considerable number. especially with
the help OF the British and French
factories. Whether or not the Sig
nal Corps was wise in trying to per-
feet the Liberty motor while certain
approved and tested machines OF for
eign make might have been built will
remain a moot point until the Liberty
motor is finally tried out.
Information Not New.
What the Senate committee says
about the use of the Liberty motor
in the one-seated plane is not new.
Several months ago General Pershing
himself asked that American fac
tories should not try to make single
seated planes because specifications
change so often, and he was in posi-
ton to get that type OF combat plane
in France.
Unfortunately the French have been
unable to fulfll their promise to the
extent that IL had been hoped they
would. Therefore we have no single
seated planes OF American manufac-
ture. though we have a certain num-
Der OF French and British make which
are considered sufficient for our Sec
tor OF the line.
OF course the American troops be-
ing brigaded with the British and
French will be amply protected and
some Of our trained filters no doubt
will be used 6r offensive purposes
in the same British and French divt-
sions.
As for two-seated planes ordered in
this country, production has been un-
satisfactory and Disappointing Just
who IS to blame has not yet been
brought out The suggestion of one
man control probably will find favor
with President Wilson. Indeed, there
is some reason 10 believe that new
plan for the reorganization OF the
whole aircraft prog cam has been un-
der consideration by him.
Ready to Report.
The special commission appointed
by the President TO investigate is
about to conclude its report. That
committee undoubtedly will take into
consideration military information
which ought not to be disclosed to the
enemy.
There was no need for a report from
the Senate Committee at this time un.
til it had been amply demonstrated
that the Presidents commission had
failed of its duty. But that Is the
Senate Committees idea of construc-
tive criticism'-exposing all the short
comings OF the Governments war &C
tIvity without regard to the military
value of the disclosures
The Senate committees object is
supposed to be to awaken the ESecu-
tive branch OF the Government 10 its
responsibilities. but when there is
ample proof that the Executive branch