New-York tribune., 1918-04-30

subp@naed, the committee did not feel
justified in going further"
What does the Senator know about
the letter the President gave to Mr..
Borglum? Has been recalled :" asked
Senator Warren. Of Wyoming.
mot that l know off, resumed Sena-
tor Hitchcock. II assume that Mr..
Borgium has been unable TO lay be-
fore the President any more definite
information than that he was able to
give me--and, from my knowledge Of
the information the committee already
had, knew the material Mr.. Borglum
had would not be of any great value.
"Thc committee was not engaged in
an effort to blackcn the reputation of
any individual, and did not desire to
make scapcgoat of any one for the
failure Of the aircraft production. Tho
committee was more interested in
bringing about a reform of the organi-
cation which was in part responsible
for the failure"
Senator Hitchcock then said the COM
production be controlled by one ,execu-
tive officer, appointed by the President
and responsible to him.
Mr.. Ryan has been appointed" thc
continued. "Hc should SO assisted 'by
a corps of the best aircraft engineers
and designers possible to obtain here
and -in Europe. That was another COM
mittee recommendation. So far it has
not been carried out. But we trust
Mr.. Ryan a staff of such men will be
selected to surround him.
Small Number Contracted For
eve have contracted for large num-
her. but it would be contrary to the
public interest for me to say how many.
| will say, however, that the number is
distressingly small France has been
unable to deliver them. nor has Italy,
contract for the supply of raw mate
rials. Great Britain is turning out 100
battle planes daily, but is only able to
make up her waste. So she is unable
to deliver to u.s."
II read the other day. Interrupted
Senator Williams, of Mississippi, Chat
we had ordered several hundred planes
manufactured for the French in France,
and they have been delivered to u.s."
That is mistake" ! am sorry to
great many publications put out re-
gret to say by authorized authority--in
the United States have been gross ex-
aggerations, calculated utterly to mis-
lead the American people. For long
time they mislead tse committee. will
tell the Senator privately how many
machines we have actually flying in
France to-day. They are of French
manufacture, and not first grade COM
bat machines. because France herself
has need of all of those above her own
lines"
Would it be out of order to ask if
we have 100 ?" asked Senator Williams.
u should regret to give the answer,
but | think the Senator would be dis
appointed" said Senator Hitchcock.
Canal Construction Delay
Asked by Senator McCumber the
cause of the construction delay from
May to December last year, Senator
Hitchcock answered.:
"The Aircraft Production Board la
bored under the delusion that we could |
bring about miracle in the United
States; that we could in the twinkling
of an eye or within few months Gre
the result of long process of devel-
opment
"They thought and said they could
produce the Liberty motor in four
months, and it has taken them year.
That was one reason why they de-
pended upon. this American machine in
stead of taking any one of the four or
five successful European machines. H.
was mistake in policy. The board
has been ousted from power by the
Presidential new head has been put |
into it, and I think no useful purpose
can be subserved by going into the de-
tails any further than l have already
done"