The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-27
THE DAILY GATE CITY

for reconnaissance, Photographic work
and some kinds of fighting.
While admitting that airplane work
lis two or three months behind sched-
ule, officials insisted that hundreds OF
mechanics had been sent to France,
Italy and England to help in airplane
manufacture. that tools of all descrip-
lions had been forwarded. and that
raw materials needed abroad for air
piane construction had been sent In
great quantities. This was done in
answer to urgent requests from allied
governments.
| Delay in production of finished air
planes is partly due to mfscalculation
as to the tremendous amount OF tool
construction necessary for large-scaIe
production of Liberty motors and
planes. Tool machines, jigs, gauges
and cutters had to be built before ac-
tual manufacture of engines could be-
| gin.
Practically all repair work on mo-
| tors in France is being done by
American mechanics. Moreover, allied
machines are doing the patrol work
over the American lines. They have
not been able to provide as many
planes as expected, but authorities
suggest that tonnage arrangements
/ have made it advisable to put troops
Il and other supplies ahead.
| By fall, according to official est1-
mates, this nation will have a vast
number of planes. including bombing
and combat machines, while already
the training planes are over produced
and going into storage.
That there had been too much Sc
crecy about airplane work is evident
| to close followers of the situation. The
program started with vast amount
Of over-advertising, some of which II
was humanity impossible to fulfill. The
reaction Is now setting in at time
when, according to officials, the pro-
gram really is getting well on the way
at last.
Hard, Cold Truth.
WASHINGTON, March 27.-Sena-
torial criticism Of the war admin1stra-
ton was renewed today when Sena-
tor Jones, Washington, scored Presi-
dent Wilson for his isolation. The
only way to create a victory spirit"
he said, sis to tell the hard. cold truth
about the war, no matter how unpleas-
ant it may sound"
Jones declared congress Is making
an autocrat OF the president" With
the house and senate ready and anxf-
GUS to cooperate with the executive"
he added, "the president should not
only welcome but seek their counsel
and advice upon the great problems
confronting him.
"He does not do 1t, lamentable
fact known to all here and regretted
by all. The president should co-ordin-
ate himself and the sooner he does 1t
the sooner the government will be eff
fective.
do we know the largeness of the
task before us? I fear not. The
fight for gain is so fierce that it seems
universal. Profiteering Is every
where. The nations needs are COM
mon prey.
We haven't come to realize what
we must do to win the war. The peo-
pie do not know the real facts.
Nothing must be said that will aid
and comfort the enemy has met
every suggestion of lack Of progress
heretofore. The time has come to
stop that cry. 1t is the refuge of the |
coward and the craven or the shield OF
the enemy's friend. No greater aid can
be given Germany in this dark hour
than to lull our people into false
security
Jones again brought up the air
plane and ship shortages. declaring |
the people had been brought to expect
great things, only to find themselves
disappointed.
While Jones was speaking Major |
General Wood was again comforting |
with the senators.
Wood is deeply concerned over the
airplane situation.
I'VE are in deplorable state" he
said today.