Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-23
AIRCRAFT REPORT SUMMARIZED.
Findings Of Committee Show lnexcus-
able M ism management.

Washington. Aug. 2S.-BlunderS auG
delays of the most ineXCusable nature.
charged against the management OF
Americas aircraft program is the re-
port of the senate military affairs SUP
committee on aviation, more than SUD-
stimulates criticisms which have been
made from time to time against the
aircraft program In general the COM
mittee declares 1t must be admitted
that our aeroplsne program has, up TO
the present, presented many aspects OK
failure" and asserts that "a substan-
tial part OF the tirst appropriation Of
$3.50. 100000 for aircra-t was practically
wasted
The findings Ct the committee may be
summarized as follows:
!. There IS not an Anerican"plane OF
attack upon the western front.
,. Not a single American made heavy
bombing plane IS being used in battle.
8. The United States has not devel-
ened and put IN quantity production
successful chasse. or fighting plane
4. But sixty seven De Havilano
planes. intended for general purposes,
had arrived at the front on July !, al
tho, $4,000 were promised in a pub
lic} issued June $, 1871,
). The De Haviland plane, the only
type now being turned out in quantity,
has proven satisfactory except for
reconnaissance and observation and
Will be replaced by a machine OF later
design as soon as it may be posi- bic
without complete suspension of pToduc-
ton.
s. The French and British govern
ments have supplied the American
army with 2,ll4 lighting planes, en-
abling the maintenance of thirteen
sQuadrons Of eighteen flyers each on
the front. This is wholly made uare
to meet requirements OF modern war
fare"
{. The Liberty motor is excellent for
the heavier planes. 1t is too heavy for
light and fast combat planes. No fight
ing plane Of any design has yet been
adapted to the Liberty engine.
s. The cross licensing agreement en-
tered into by the government with the
manufacturers aircraft corporation IS
denounced as vicious and should be
abrogated.
The committee attributes the disap-
pointing results in aircraft production
to three chief causes:
!. That the airplane program was
largely placed in the control Of the
great automobile and other manurac-
turers, who were ignorant OF aero
nautical problems.
2. These manufacturers undertook
the impossible task Of creating a motor
which could be adapted to all classes Of
flying craft It is not toe much to
say that our airpane program has
been largely subordinate to the Liberty
motor.
3. We failed at the beginning of the
war to adopt the common sense course
of reproducing the most approved
types Of European machines in as great
numbers as possible. This should have
been carried on coincident with the
production of the Liberty motor. This
sound policy has very recently, bu1
after a lamentable lapse OF time, been
adopted
For Department Of Aeronaut;es.
Outstanding among the remedies rec
commended by the committee is the Gre
alton Of a separte department Of aero
nautics, ranking with the war and navy
department Without such q depart
nnent friction. disturbing the service
and interfering with production, is I'M
avoidable, the committee believes.