The Washington times., 1918-05-13
BORGLUM WRITES
PRESIDENT OPEN
DEFENSE LETTER

Gutzon BorElum, who has come to
this city to defend his actions in the
investigation OF aircraft production,
addressed President Wilson yesterday
in an open letter, in part, as follows:
"On Tuesday or Wednesday l shall
place before the Senate OF the United
States through Senator BrandeBee OF
my State detailed evidence, together
with affidavits attached. and relat-
ing to the falsehoods and deliberate
.frame-up by a confessed tool OF Col
onel Deeds and this mans engineer
and in which the following statement
from the head OF the War Depart
ment intelligence bureau, appears
(Here Mr.. Borglum uses part OF an
article in a local paper. which states
that Col. Ralph II. Van Deman, head
Of the intelligence section, declined
TO discuss in any way the activities
Of his office in connection with the
inquiry. and which states that II be-
came known yesterday that the In
telligence section had not seen the
report signed by Henry Harrison SUI
pIee. telling OF Mr.. Borglum's alleged
efforts to form an aircraft manufac-
turing company
GFnveIy Concerned.
at is a matter OF gravest concern
to me that credence could be given 10
charges Of such a nature. or that
they could have been in your pos
session. and ! have received no in
/ timation OF the falsehood until MI.
| Marshall intimated that there was
hostile attitude OF those in charge o.
disIoyalty to you.
This is so unthinkable that / DIS
! missed and declined even to discuss
them. The publicity OF your letters
/ to me through wide and artfully ar
! ranged and widely advertised charges
( against me, presented by senator
| Thomas. together with the deliberate
| inter:erences by departmental aid
you placed at my service, namely,
| Stanley King and General Squier.
Stanley King acting directly under
| the Secretary OF War. together with
other subordinates, deputized to in
terfere with my investigation efforts,
constitutes a very Erievous chapter
IN Americas effort to get production
Of airplanes."
] Says Charges Absurd.
The letter then repeats Mr.. Borg
Ium's denial as published in this
mornings papers, and continues:
! 1T is absurd TO state that pro-
! Germans are clamOring for investi-
i cations. while the Secretary OF War
is a party to statements untrue and
Unfounded, issued to deceive the ma
ton and serving no other possible
purpose except to warn Germany TO
hurry her own airpIane production
as we are just land forever) just
at the peak OF production
Never, / believe. in the history Of
this country has a group Of men been
| given so completely a nations re-
sources. together with the Administra-
tion and peoples confidence. as have
the aircraft group. and never have
such condolences been more wantonly
| abused.
/ SPECIFICS Names.
81 refer here TO Major General
Squires, Howard f. Cofhn. Colonel
Deeds and Colonel Montgomery. These
civilians and military members appear
everywhere in the program-planned
to meet our military needs-and they
appear everywhere in the deliberate
and elaborate machinery that placed
and held the colossal contracts amonE
few; they appear everywhere in tho
fine network of falsehood and camou'
hage, and they included Mr.. Baker a
their partner in the common state
ments to the public: they deliberately
lied to you and framed up their state
ments, particularly their failures, mis-
leading Congress before the Senate
Military Committee, and they directly
are responsible for no engines, M
planes. no propellers and our vanished
appropriations.
} These men shaped the course
our production, selected the produS
} ers, created their agents, who nav
! tangled up and delayed Production
! and they are responsible. II was thi
; group who refused TO consider IN
emergency and need OF a nation
war, and calmly planned to the crea
ton of what every informed ma
= knows was impossible to produce i
E time, the aeroplans motor.
1T was these men who refused tn