New Britain herald., 1918-05-23
AIRCRAFT inquiry
BY HUGHES Alone
Promise Of Complete InVestiga-
ton AppeaseS Senate Insurgents

Washington, May 23.-The depart
ment Of Justices investigation into the
alleged failure of the aircraft pro-
] gram by Charles L. Hughes, under
| special appointment by the president,
| is to have an unhampered right OF
! way and will not be preJudlced by a
| congressional inquiry.
That point was made certain late
Yesterday in a letter by Mr.. Hughes
| addressed to Attorney General Thomas
| M. Gregory, Endorsed by him and sent
| to the senate, in which Mr.. Hughes
| states that his investigation should not
be interfered with by any parallel in
curry, and setting forth the result he
! proposes to accomplish.
The senate already had reached
| compromise between the administra-
| ton leaders and the opposition con-
| corning the investigation of war &C
| tivities whereby the committee on
| military affairs was authorized to ap-
| point subcommittee to conduct in
| quiries. After Mr.. Hughes letter had
| been read to the committee such sub
| committees were appointed, but 1t was
! understood by senate leaders that the
proposal to investigate aircraft produc-
! ton would be abandoned and that the
|
inquiry would content itself with in
| speeding plants and looking over the
present situation. The inquiry into
the past will be left entirely in the
hands of Mr.. Hughes and the depart
ment of justice.
In addition to asking for a free
| hand Mr.. Hughes informed the attor
ncy general that he proposed to inves
tigate thoroughly every phase Of air.
craft from the beginning Of the war,
all contracts, all orders and every line
which may lead to placing blame, if
there is guilt, and that when we are
| in a position to make a report of our
| inquiry we shall know the facts, and
it will be reassuring to the country
| and support our inquiry and it's repu
tation for integrity if we state con-
cisely, but fairly and completely, the
results of our investigation
The letter in full follows:
| My Dear Mr.. Attorney General
In accordance with your request I
shall attempt to summarize briefly
some of the points discussed in our
conference today, particularly with
respect to the scope of our inquiry.
ut is quite evident, from the mater
ial you have already gathered and
from the matters discussed with you
and Mr.. Frierson, that it would be
necessary for us carefully to examine
all the activities relating to aircraft
production. 1t is easy, of course
theoretically to distinguish between
an inquiry within the province of the
Department of Justice and one which
Is aimed merely at alleged waste. or
neglect or mismanagement or In
l.
basis for a civil suit to recover mis-.
appropriated moneys, or a criminal
prosecution.
LAS a practical matter, however
it is evident that in the endeavor tc
determine whether there is a basis fol-
n civil suit by the government Or g
criminal prosecution, it will be nee
essary for us to make a thorough in
quiry into the entire history Of air
craft production since the beginning
of the war and of all proceedings
which have been taken by any persons
or corporations concerned Herewith
We shall not be able to ascertain
whether there has been dishonesty or
malversion of any kind unless we &C
thoroughly into all the transactions
which have been had
eff we discover a basis for civil
suits by the government they will be
instituted. If we find grounds for g
criminal prosecution 1t will be II
order to go before the Grand jury tt
obtain indictments. If we find no suf-
ficient basis for such proceedings ou1
concludings, to be convincing to the
country, could not we'll be stated az
a mere negative conclusion in genera
terms, but should be accompanied by
q fair, candid and adequate statemen
Of the facts which our investiga tior
has disclosed. We should, of course
in no case make any statement which
from a military point of view should
not be made, and if we had a basis
! for civil or criminal proceedings we
! should properly reserve the evidence
so far as 1t would be appropriately
!, disclosed upon the trial and previous
ly withheld.
But / am very sure that the coun-
, try would not be content with our in,
, quiry, and particularly if we discove,
no ground for further proceedings
G unless we showed the basis for our
conclusion in an adequate report Of
the facts we have ascertained. This
certainly should be dispassionate ant
! i'm partial, and be confined to the
,, facts. When we are in a position
to make such a. report of our inquiry
we shall know the facts and 1t vii
= be reassurng to the country anc
support our inquiry, and its reputa-
ton for integrity, if we state con-
cisely but fairly and completely, the
results of our investigations
Parallel Inquiry Unnecessary.
eff it be understood that we con
] of