The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-26
GRAFT TA|NT EVILS
in AIRCRAFT WORK
Profitccrtng and Sabotage Discovered
WIN Be Report of Presidents
Commission
DASTARDLY DEEDS
Criminal Design, Ignorance, Neigh
gcnce Have Played Heavy Game In
Creation OF Acropiancs and Mo-
tors

of the senate military affairs commit
tee on the aircraft program and the
publication OF sensational evidence be-
fore the committee is simply prepare
tory To The big smash which is ex-
.pected TO come this week with the re-
port of the investigation conducted by
Charles T.. Hughes.
Members of the senate investigating
COMMITTEE, who refrained from pursu-
ing questions OF personal or GRIMM al
responsibility in the matter of air
craft production, but could not help
but see the out-croppings In the course
OF their investigation and other in
fYestigators who have gone over pre-
ciseiy the same ground covered by
Mr.. Hughes conhdentally predict a
report from him that will demand i'm
mediate and sweeping action on the
part OF the department OF justice.
What they have found, and what
they say Mr., Hughes has found. is in
part.
A trail of graft that runs through
the aircraft production program from
the beginning up To the present time.
/ Sabotage, proved and certain,
coupled with criminal acts In produc-
ltion of aircraft, negligence and incom'
Ipetency that can only be arrested by
the strong arm of the law
/ Proiiteerlng. extravaganza and Grim
Iinai waste OF materials of almost in
Iestimable value 10 the speeding up OF
aircraft production and its consequent
effect upon the strength and effective
ness of our troops in the battle line
Fayoritlsm and high pay for super
vision OF work by persons wholly in
competent for the task and tpspec-
ton that was a farce and nothing
/ EhOrf af TapfTtFi'IF 70 rnhrlar N
giving the stamp of approval at the
factory to machines that would prove
man killers when tried out on the
flying fields.
A singular group OF men of Teu-
i tonic bloor or extraction in important
positions in aircraft production plants
land the rotation of skilled workmen
I OF tIe same class from one aircraft
plant to another
/ 1t is possible that the Hughes re-
/ FORT may be silent on the last sub
I Ject because the mere fact that such
men are associated in one way or an
other with the aircraft production pro-
gram proves nothing. but it has at
tracted the Immediate attention OF
other investigators. and has been
source of n1isgiving about achieve
ments.
The faint OF graft in aircraft pro-
duction Is said TO be so tngrained that
none of the investigators thus far en-
pioyed have been able to isolate the
leads and trace them to their source
Mr.. Hughes has had an exceptional
opportunity 10 go INTO the matter and
nus Known skill IN following leads and
arriving at results is the basis for the
prediction in Washington that his re-
port will give concrete results on this
subject
Sabotage
I Sabotage. or the wiilful Gripping Of
flying machines and the machinery for
their production. has already hem
proved by other vestigations under
government direction. land has hAen
one of the known lines followed hv
the Hughes investigation It's pres
ence in some form has been discovered
in every branch of aircraft production
from the cutting Of the spruce logs to
startling accidents to finished aero
planes intended for military service
The finest spruce logs. singled out
for aircraft production and hroucht AZ
great trouble and EXPENSE out of he
forests. have torn the machinery OF
sl wmills To pieces and caused serious
d Law because great iron spikes had
been driven into tho trees below and
concealed so sktIfuIly as to defy me
usual forms Of inspectlon
ii 'iF fiiStHHtts q UniS1fd com IA {
machine British hghter-roiled out
Of the factory and ready for a test
suddenly burst into flames and was
destroyed This inexplafna BILE occur.
renee Was attributed to sabotage md
~ appeared TO be directed particularly
against this type Of machine
So many faults and defects develoned
in the construction of the Rriatol
hghter--not all due to admitted errors
in modification OF design-that the TYNE
was sunmarily abandoned after or
ders for production in quantity had
been given at a large expense 10 the
government 1t is held in official GUAR
ters in Washington that sabotage as
much as fault in design .caused the
abandonment OF construction Of ,bis
type of hehting machine.
Minute inspection of machines Of
other types has revealed that rho cap-
vas of the wings had been tackled IN
the ribs causing the ribs To s,li,
through the shrinkage of tho canvas
and making the machine unsafe Tor
! nyinK
This is a diaholical form Of SABOTAGE
or Of criminal ignorance or nagIj.
gence Such a fault in construction 10
concealed in the FIRST nlars nv tba cav
vas covering of the wings and ths DE-
feet does not dAvslon urtiI ,ba o.n
was shrinks and smiths the ribs rb.r
II Is stin concealed and often canrot
be discovered 70 have exi.taa .vsr
after same hanless aviation 10. $50. =