The Washington herald., 1918-05-11
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

father, had a talk with him about
the scheme and proceeded TO deal
with Mr.. Borglum by letter and tele-
graph until January IL, when we had
our final talk in the Metropolitan
Club. The other personal negotia-
tions had been carried on with Mr..
Borglum's representatives IN New
York.
1--WE never got down 70 the real
figures of Mr.. Borgium's prospective
money share in the proposed busi-
ness. although II was understood,
concerning Benjamin Harris. presi-
dent Of the Standard Smelling and
Refining Company, OF New York. who
was TO be Mr.. Borglum's representa-
tive in the company. that Mr.. Borg
lum. not Mr.. Harris, would make
final and binding agreement as to
the allotting OF the company's stock.
Motive Mystery.
80 I have no real idea what stake
Mr.. Borglum was playing for. did
believe. however, before we had 10
drop him, that he might be playing
more for the vindicstion OF his air
plane inventions which, although re-
jected by the government, was
ready to spend an initial s5o.0oo on IL
he had produced anything on paper
that looked hke the airplane he had
talked OF to me-"
Thomas transmitted to the senate
was sent TO him by N. W. Mix.
President Of the Dodee Manufac-
turing Company. of Mishswaka, In
diana
Further Meetings.
Mr.. Mix then related at length
bis meetings with Gibson at the Of
nee of Mr.. Compton. at the Hudson
Terminal Building. New York. H
H. Suplee accompanied him on this
visit. Compton. he reports. was
in the employ OF Borglum and Glib
son. and he also relates that he
met Lieut.. Roberts. an invaIided
British officer. who was available
for private enterprise. There was
a protracted conference in Comp
toms once. which Mr.. Mix de-
scribes as follows:
Mr.. Gibson stated to me in this
conference that Mr.. Borglums con-
nection was with highest authori-
ties in the American government.
and showed me a telegram from a
man by the name OF Nichols. stat
ing that Mr.. Borglum could put
through anything that had merit.
Mr.. Gibson also stated that Mr..
Borghum could not be in any way
openly Identified with the new COM
pany and that his interests would
be represented by Mr.. Harris. whom
he wished me TO meet on the fol-
lowing day. He told me that Mr..
Borglum was doing big things in
Washington. but that it was UP 10
Mr.. BorGlum to explain for him
self what they were. After which,
he left the conference. leaving
Lieut. Roberts. Mr.. Supplee, Mr..
Thompson and myself together. We
discussed the relative value of vari-
GUS planes for an hour or two and
adjourned to meet on Saturday"
Subsequent meetings. at which
the formation Of the company or its
afhliation with the Dodge company
was discussed. are described at
length by Mix in his statement
Mix states that he went to Wash
ington on January Is and met Borg
lum at his apartment in the Albany.
OF this meeting he says:
Mr.. Borglums first question to
me was: Mix. do you know what
I am doing in Washington" nv re-
ply was not exactly. but 1 have
good idea WhereUpon. Mr.. Borg
lum produced a letter addressed TO
him and signed by Woodrow Will
son. President of the United States.
which extended to Mr.. Borglum Of
fcial permission and authority TO
proceed upon some investigation
which had been mentioned in Mr..
ROrglum's letter to the President.
and which was dated December Il.
1917. and which letter was only
me ntioned in the Presidents com
munication shown to me.
The letter went on TO state that
he. Borclum. would have the CO.
operation of the Secretary Of War.
and that Stanley King. one of Mr..
Eaker's assistants, would be as
signed to his use until investiga-
tion was completed. and the facts
ready for presentation to the
White House. Mr.. BorClum stated
that he had been assigned Room |
o25 of the War Department. and !
corps OF assistants, among whom |
were Mr.. Nichols, whose identity I
have not discovered other than that
he was formerly connected with |
the Aeromarlne Plane ana motor |
Company. of New York, and a sec
ond lieutenant of the United States
army acting as stenographer.
Senators Waiting.
The production by Senator Thomas
Of the correspondence involving Bor-
glum ELECTED no comment from Sen
ator Chamberlain, chairman OF the
Military Affairs Committee other than
that he had not seen any OF the mat
ter and was not qualified to express
an opinion regarding it.
Senator Hitchcock. who has been
BOrglums chief sponsor so far as his
relations with the committee were
concerned, made the following state
ment:
"Borslum is not an issue in the
Military Affairs Committees invC sti-
cation of the aircraft situation. His
relation to the committee is merely
that of one who has furnished some
information which may or may not
he of value to the committee. II Is for
the committee to determine whether
Borglum acted entirely from disinter-
ested motives and to weigh whatever
statements he may care to make 10
the committee.