American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-08-27

opes Unpleasant facts-S64O, 900, 900
Wasted.
A unanimous report Of the senate
military committee which for the past
four months has been conducting an
inquiry into aircraft production. vas
made Friday Questions Of individual
dishonesty or official corruption, the
committee explained, were left for the
department Of justice inquiry direct
Cd By Charles E. Hughes. Senators
Thomas Of Colorado, chairman, Reed
Of Missouri, New Of Indiana, Smith Of
Georgia and Frelinghuysen Of New
Jersey conducted the inquiry The
full military committee approved the
report before it was given to the SEN
ate.
Structures upon failures. delays. and
disappointments were coupled With
praise for progress that has been
made since John D. Ryan has had con-
troll Of the program. The aircraft sit
uation is reported as follows:
six hundred and one De Haviland
fours have been embarked for France
up 70 August !, 1918. Sixty-seven had
reached the front by July /
We have not a single American
made plane Of attack upon the battle
front
We have not a single American
made heavy bombing plane upon the
battle front.
We have not developed and put in
quantity production a successful chase
or lighting plane
Other criticisms included:
Abandonment Of the standard ].
training machine after 1900 had been
built at a cost Of S6.0O000O and con-
demned as dangerous.
Cancellation Of orders for 5000
Spad single-seated lighting machines
last September as obsolete. and after
ward ordering 1000 Is single-seated
Spads.
Abandonment of the British tight
= ing machine after expenditure Of So
b 100000 and the loss OF several valu-
! able lives
I Delay in developing the De Havi-
: land machine.
Failure to rush manufacture Of the
Caproni and Handley-Page heavy
! bombing machines.
- Failure TO develop an airplane
D around the Liberty motor.
e "Incompetency Of inspectors
j Location Of flying helds al insult
e able sites.
= Failure TO encourage airplane pro-
y ducers.
g Patent monopolies Of original in
p ventors."
i IN the opinion Of the committee .
9 the report states. the disappointing
t results in production are chiefly due
J. to three causes:
Il THAT the airplane program was
d largely placed in the control Of man
d ufacturers who were ignorant Of aer-
onauucal problems.
~e-These manufacturers unoertooA
IS the Impossible task Of creating a mo-
y Tor which could be adapted 10 all
s. classes of flying craft our airplane
IS program has been largely suoordin-
h ared 10 the Liberty motor.
X I've failed az The beginning OF
the war 10 adopt the common-sense
L. course Of producing the most approV-
b. cd tvpes Of European machines II as
ID great numbers as possible. This
Of should have been carried on coincidenI
IS With the production of The Liberty mo-
'r tor This sound policy has been very
le recently. bur after q lamen'ao-e lapse
at ol time adopted
IN General Kenly told the committee
L. there are now l3 American airplane
2r -auadrons Of 273 machines now in
Id france. whereas there should be ia
10 sluadrons.
ID Dur,ng Secretary Bakers eNamina-
tion be was sharply questioned re-
rardipg airplane photographs distri-
Id bnted bv the committee on public in
b. formation. with what the secretary
5. conceded were exaggerated cap
r uons.
Of During the heading senator Reed OF
N Missouri referred TO Chairman George
III Creel Of the bureau Of public informa
Al tion as a licensed liar" intending tS
mislead the public.
n FIVE REGISTERED.