The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-11
ton of Borglum's alleged activ-

ton of Borglum $ alleged activ- Iities in aircraft schemes.
 "Mr. Borglum washed his hands of all connections with negotiations look ing to our organization of an airplane manufacturing enterprise as soon as President Wilson granted him author ity to investigate the handling of air craft production" said Gibson in mak- ling public his statement, which was l typewriter. He added that had the corporation that was discussed ever reached the point of actual organiza- Zion, he intended to be a stockholder and declared that Gin the end, l think la good financial reason will be found for these charges being made. l be- lieve there may be ample reason for certain persons to consider it desira- ble to head off or choke the inquiry which MT. Borglum started"
 HOW HE MET BORGLUM
 Gibson explained further that in 1911 and 1912 he was engaged in the manu- facture of airplaine propellers in this city and that a mutual friend intro- duced him to Borglum, who was inter ested in airplanes and propeller de- signing.
 Borglum was actnated wholly by patriotic motives in the investigation he undertook because he was one of those who were crazed by the rotten manner in which the aircraft pro- gramme was being handled" he as- serted
 In his formal statement, Gibson de- nied that he told H. H. Suplee that he had no authority or opportunity to influence orders of airplanes and dis claimed any knowledge of Borglum's "confidentiar' cone ections withthe gov ernment which were referred to in Suplee's statement. He declared Por@ glum would have been valuable in the proposed enterprise only because of his ideas on propeller designing.
 The statement, prepared after he had listened to questions, follows.
 "Mr. BorClum, in December, intend cd to engage in commercial enter prise in which I should have been in terested. After he had reAtved au- thority from President Wilson to i'm vesticate the aircraft situation, he withdrewentirely from any of the ten- tative arrangements being made for that commercial enterprise, giving as his reason to me that he considered dual activity as entirely incompatible with the position ho then found him self in Since he made that statement to me- he has not even discussed the proposed commercial undertaking and in fact, has consistently avoided any discussion when I have touched upon the subject in conversation"
 T do not understand the object of the statement purportng to come from Mr. Henry Harrison Suplee. l met him on not more than two occasions and had neither authority nor opportunity nor dld say I could or might influence orders for airplanes.
 Tn reply to aquestion: I have pat ents which would have been one of the bases of that commercial enter prise.
 ''Tn reply 10 a question as to the Mix affidavit: Mr, Borglum had no confi- dential connections with the govern ment that know of at the time
 Tn reply to a question as to why MT. Borglum was valuable in connec- ton with the commercial enterprises: MT. Eorglum was interested in sl pro peller design of his own or a sugges- tion of such and discussed il with me because I knew about propellers.
 -'In reply to a question did MT. Bor- -lurn conn to you?' He did not come to me, I did not go to him mutual acquaintance introduced us. Our com mercial relations ceased when he told ,1e that he had the letter from presi- dent Wilson"