New-York tribune., 1918-05-05
The Liberty Motor-anc
Others
From a Debate in the Senate

| M r. HITCHCOCK: The Aircraft Pro-
| AVA duction Board labored under the de-
lusion that we could bring about miracle
in the United States;> that we could in the
twinklng of an eye, or within few months,
design and create machines which are
necessarily the result of long process of
development. They thought, and they said,
that they could produce a Liberty motor
in four months, and it has taken them a
| year. That reason why they de-
pended upon this new American engine in
stead of taking any one of the four five
successful European machines. 1t was a
mistaken policy. The board has been
ousted from power by the President, a new
head he's been put in it, and l think no use
full purpose can be subserved by going into
the details any further than have already
done.
Mr.. NORRIS: Mr.. President, may I ask
my colleague question?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: Certainly
MIR. NORRIS: l ask it purely for nfor-
nation. l understand that statement
was made a few evenings ago before the
National Press Association to the effect
that large quantities of the so-called Lib
erty motor had been ordered by the British
| government, and were being used by them
and large quantities by the French govern
ment. I should like to ask the Senator if
| that is true?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: large number of
| orders for Liberty motors have been placed
but, of course, they are subject to test We
are not absolutely confident that those
motors will stand the tests. The Liberty
motor apparently is likely to be machine
about equivalent, and perhaps a little
superior when finally developed, to the
Rolls Royce Eagle engine. the great bomb
ing. engine of England, a machine weighing
over 800 pounds, and having something like
400 horsepower. We believe it will be
equivalent to that machine, but it has not
quite attained that yet. We are under
contract to deliver these machines to Great
Britain and France and Italy also, but they
have got to stand the tests when delivered.
Mr.. NORRIS: They have not got them
quite so that they will stand the tests vet?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: We have some Liberty
motors which successfully operating in
this country and we have some which have
failed; and, as the committee said, they
are practically just emerging from the ex-
perimental state.
Mr.. NORRIS: Let me ask my colleague
another question Do they or do they not
expect to use the Liberty motor in the
combat machines?
| Mr.. HITCHCOCK: In the bombing ma
chimes, yes; and bombing machines are
combat machines. In the single-seaters;
no. The single-seater is a battle machine
which must have a light powerful engine
The Liberty motor is a heavy powerful
engine
Mr.. NORRIS: l do not think l was quite
explicit in my question. When said
Combat machine" l meant the machine
that goes into the air as fighting ma
| chine, to fight other airplanes. Do they
use the Liberty motor in those machines7
| Mr.. HITCHCOCK: The bombing machine
fights other airplanes, but
Mr.. OVERMAN: Mr.. President, rise to
| point of order Is this debate on the
amendment that is pending?
The VICE-PRESIDENT: The Senator
from North Carolina is we'll aware that
anybody can say anything in the United
| States Senate on any subject.
Mr.. OVERMAN: But we are acting under
a unanimous consent agreement now.
Mr.. NORRIS: Mo- we are not
The VICE PRESIDENT: The discussion
is really airplanes, but it is legally on
| the amendment.
Mr.. OvERMAN: I understand that.
thought perhaps more than twenty minutes
! had expired
The VICE-PRESIDENT: No; the Chair
will keep the Senator's time.
| Mr.. NORRIS: Let me ask another ques-
tion while am on my feet. Are we now
manufacturing bombing planes in this coun-
try?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: We are beginning to.
Mr.. NORRIS: Are we manufacturing
them to such an extent that the output is
considerable, and to what extent?
Mr.. HITCHCOCKs We have turned out
few De Haviland machines, and we have
large number Of Handley Page machines
in course of manufacture; also some Bris-
| tol Fighters coming on.
MIR. NORRIS: Those are the English and
the French machines?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: Yes.
Mr.. NORRIS: Those are the machines
which the Senator said he thought we
ought to have commenced to manufacture
at the beginning Of the war?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: They are.
Mr.. NORRIS: How many of those have
we manufactured?
Mr.. HITCHCOCK: We have only sent
one to Europe SO far.