The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-06-18

plete failure and that it would be a
year at least before the United States
could render formidable aid to the
Allies in the air. Their discoveries
may be summed up in the closing
article. He said:
"And so, after our several attacks
Of national nervousness and bilious
ness and peevishness and heart disease
and near apoplexy, we find that our
Uncle Samuel is not so badly off for
aeroplanes as he might be. A pro-
duction of nearly 5000 planes
month isn't so bad, and production is
steadily increasing. So be it resolv-
ed, That we stop damning everybody
in general and the government at
Washington in particular, ""
that we get out of the swampland of
dumps and into the meadowland of
smiles, and-Cheer up!"
The bright outlook pictured by
Lawrence and Seavey was reelected
in debates during the week on the
floor of the House during the con-
sheraton of the army appropriation
bill. The following dialogue, in
which Representative Julius Kahn of
California, leading Republican mem
Der of the Committee on Military
Affairs, was the central figure. speaks
for itself:
Enlightening Dialogue.
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas. What
explanation was made to the COM
mittee why we have only two battle
planes in France out of $640, o0O,-
900?
Mr.. Kahn, We never had that in
formation before the committee.
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas. That is
the information of the country and
the public generally.
Mr.. Kahn. Because some news
papers have chosen to publish that
particular piece of misinformation.
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas. I would
be glad to know and probably the
country would be glad to know, that
we had more battlepIanes as the re-
suit of the expenditure of S640, 000,-
600.
Mr.. Kahn. Let me appeal to the
gentleman's own common sense. The
gentleman has read that the Ameri-
can f1iers have been bringing down
enemy planes.
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas. In
French and English battleplanes
Mr.. Kahn. No; battleplanes
owned by this country. We have s2s
fighting battleplanes on the other
side. We have now on the other side
quite a number made in this country
and shipped abroad, but we have
nearly always had fighting planes on
the other side, made, it is true, on
the other side, because they had the
factories to construct them at a time
when we had practically no factories
| in this country. These battleplanes
have been used with, remarkable sue
cess by our American fighters. They
| will be materially augmented in the
| future, I have no doubt. And they
were paid for out of the appropria-
ton of $640, 900. DOE that has been
spoken of on this floor. OF the total
| sum for aviation, about $755, 00O,-
| 900, only about one-third has been
| paid out The other two-thirds is
still in the treasury, to be used in
the payment of additional planes and
| SuS4A oSSCSSOLACo as may OO uCllN0ISO
to the government from time to time
| They have been contracted for, but
have not been delivered as yet.
/ Production Increases.
Mr.. Snyder. OF course, this money
we speak of as being obligated is for
the purchase of aeroplanes both in
this country and on the other side.
Mr.. Kahn. Not only aeroplanes,
but dirigible and stationary balloons.
Mr.. Snyder. And at the present
time the understanding is that the
manufacturers who are building these
various types of equipment are deliv-
ering and are prepared to deliver
from day to day in larger and larger
! quantities. Is it not fact?
Mr. Kahn Exactly; in ever in
creasing quantities.
Mr. Kahn, who, as has been stated
is a Republican, added that he held
mo brief for the War Department >
st have no desire to cover up anything
or to apologize for any mistakes" he
said, ''but 1 believe it is the provinces
of a member of the House to-gfve the
facts truthfuHy and fairly and fear.
elessly."
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