Arizona republican., 1918-05-23
CONTROVERSY IN
 SENATE SPILLED
 BY HUGHES NOTE
Parallel Investigations into
 Conduct of War to Be
 Abandoned Because of Appeal Made by Hughes
IRepublican 4. p. Leased Wfre1

"A.
 WASHINGTON, May 22.-There will be no controversy in the senate over the military committees war inquiry plans to which President Wilson ob jected, and the department of justice investigation of aircraft production di- rected by Charles E. Hughes will pro- ceed without having it's path crossed by congress.
 Quick Developments
 Developments came quickly today in a situation which has threatened an open fight on the floor of the senate and in which administration leaders saw the possibility of two simultaneous inquiries into all phases of the govern ment's aviation program. First, compromise was reached under which the resolution of Senator Chamberlain authorizing investigations of various branches of war activities, including aviation. was passed by the senate after being stripped of language which the president had construed as virtually constituting the military committee a committee on the conduct of the war Letter from Hughes Soon afterWard Senator Chamber lain received a letter from Attorney General Gregory in closing one from MT. Hughes in which the letter stated that the work he has undertaken at President Wilson's request would be embarrassed by a parallel inquiry. Mr. Hughes outlined his idea of how the | departments investigation should be carried on. declaring that it should go 1 into the whole history of aircraft pro- 1 duction since the war began and that a statement of results should be given to the public regardless of whether basis were found for either criminal or civil proceedings in the courts.
 Cut Down Scope
 This letter for a time seemed to | threaten a new conflict. Members of the military committee. however i quickly recognized the force of Mr Hughes statement. and it was ten tatively agreed that the sub committed on aviation should confine it's activi- ties to looking over the existing situa- tion and leave all that had gone before to tn. department of justice Another meeting will be held in a day or two tc discuss the matter further
 The demand of MT. Hughes for a free hand was indorsed in a note of trans initial by Attorney General Gregory who it is reported, had discussed the matter with President Wilson.
 MT. Hughes Explains
 Tn accordance with your request Mr. Hughes wrote. T shall attempt tt summarize briefly some of the point discussed in our conference today. par ticularly with respect to the scope O our inquiry.
 It is quite evident. from the materia you have already gathered and iron the matters discussed with you an, Mir. Frierson that it would be neces sary for us carefully to examine all tn activities relating to aircraft produc tion. It is easy, of course, theoretical, to distinguish between an inquiry with in the province of the department O justice and one which is aimed merel, at alleged waste, or neglect or mis management, or inefficiency, apar from any appropriate basis for a civi suit to recover misappropriated money or a criminal prosecution.
 Civil or Criminal?
 As practical matter. however. is evident that in the enceavor to de termine whether there is basis for civil suit by the government or a, crim inal prosecution, it will be necessar for us to make a thorough inquiry int the history of aircraft production sine the beginning of the war and of a proceedings which have been taken b any persons or corporations concerne Y herewith.
 i If we discover basis for civil suit f by the government they will be insti s tuted. If, we find grounds for a crimi l nal prosecution it will be in order { . (Continued on Page Two)