New-York tribune., 1918-05-08

| per OF this. particular board or any
agent of the government in relation to
aircraft production.
There has been something radically
wrong in the whole programme. have
not been able to put my hand on the ex-
pendlture Of the moneys, and do not
think there is any member of the COM
mlttee who can account for the ex-
penditure of anything like s64O 900, 900,
or probably $840,000,0oo. The commit
tee, if it can have the consent Of the
senate, is going to pursue this thing
and ascertain if it is possible to do so
where ahese moneys have been expend-
ed and where the delay has been oc-
casioned."
"Ought not the committee, indie
pendent of the criminal question, in
vestigatte and ascertain to whom this
money has been paid and for what pur
Nelson. -. .....a .Sa
The committee is going to pursue its
efforts to try to find out the truth of
the whole situation" replied Senator
chamberlain. II am very glad indeed
to know from the Presidents letter that
he approves of searching official in
vestlgation by the constituted authori-
ties of the government The Military
Affairs Committee is constituted au-
.-NAASy VI Liie government and without
lear or favor intends to do whatever
is necessary to get at the bottom of
TINS whole matter. l am sure that is
what the President wants, and / am
glad, indeed to know that this course
mas ms approval in advance. Only this
morning a few members of the commit
tee got together to discuss this very
situation.
This aircraft construction is not the
oeveiopment of day, and the investi-
cation itself is not the DEVELOPMENT of
day. We make our Investigations and
think we have closed them on one day
ana the very next day the mail will
oring to members of our committee
charges of a sensational kind, made in
many instances by reputable citizens of
thls country. who are interested only
IN the winning of the war. These
charges must be segregated and the
motives of the complainants analyzed
Charges arc coming to me every day.
such, for instance, as those in the Ror,
glum report, which this committee
never saw.
Determined to Win War
Speas committee is determined to
90 wsQatever is necessary to win this
war, and if there is responsibility for
a lack of speeding up this committee
hopes to put its finger on the man or
men who are responsible for it. It
proposes to do that without fear. 1t
does not propose to protect the reputa
ton OF any individuals who have heen
connected with any dishonest trans
actions, from the highest to the lowest
1T is the purpose of the committee to
lind out and to point out to the coun-
Try 1ne men who are responsible, if
such there be, and it does not propose
to engage in any whitewasbinp nrocees
either" f-0~e'''
Senator Vardaman asked if Senator
Chamberlain knew how much of 10
$64o, 100000 airplane appropriation
mad been spent for building airships.
II only know in a general way that
me money appropriated was $640,OOO,-
cog, and understand there is to be a
dehclency appropriation of $200,OOO.-
oOo more, in regard to which l presume
report will be made in due time"
America has not put any planes
upon the battlefront of France, unless
IL mas been done within the last two
or three weeks. I mean battle-'planes
constructed and built in America and
shipped abroad for the use of Ameri-
can troops: There have been planes
built in France at the expense of
America, and these have been nut on
the battlefront. If the Senator calls
them American battle planes, then
some ;, have been built. How many I
America has also sent over to
Europe-to Great Britain and to France
material out of which aeroplanes are
to be made, and is continuing to do
that. ~ W
1T seems to me our people ought to
be informed of the truth of the situao
tion, and they never have been because
those who ought to know the truth do
not tell it all. am not blaming aoy-
body for it; possibly 1t Is Impossible
tor anybody to know what the truth is,
Il do know this, however, that it
was testified to before the committee