The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-06-14
Washington Letter.


Washington, June 11.-(Special cor,
respondence)-Th aircraft produc-
tion program has at last been placed
in competent hands, Such is the cor
viction of Representatives Daniel r.
| Anthony Of Kansas, who has followed
closely the hearings on the subject
held by the Military Committee of
which he is member. Mr.. Potter,
the civilian, who has been placed in
| charge of the work, has impressed
Mr.. Anthony as being high type of
American business man, "who is go
ing to give us airplanes." After the
| many charges of graft in connection
with our aircraft activity during the
past year it is refreshing to hear Mr..
Anthony say that from what he has
learned he is convinced that the men
who have had charge of the matter to
date have been merely incompetent.
The Congressman declares that many
mistakes of judgment have been
made, but that cases of actual dishon-
esty will not be found.
-
Congressman Benjamin l.. Fairchild
of New York believes that only citi-
zens of the United States should be
permitted the right to vote. He has
introduced resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution en-
bodying that limitation. The sugges-
ton has met with favor from other
Representatives, and another similar
amendment has been pending in the
House for some days. 1t refers, how
ever, only to electors for Members of
the House of Representatives Mr..
Fairchild's proposition goes further
than that and would apply to all cleo
tions for Federal officers, such as
President, Vice President, Senators,
and Members of the House. The
Congress is given power in Mr.. Fair
child's resolution to enforce the pro-
visions of the new paragraph in the
Constitution.
Congressman Thomas S. Crago, of
Pennsylvania, makes the reassuring
statement that the accidents to men in
training for aeroplane service is less,
in proportion to their number, than
to men driving automobiles about the
country. Mr.. Crago is a prominent
member of the Military Affairs Com
mittee of the House, and has paid
close attention to the hearings that
they have held. The declaration has
been made to the committee that
mora man ~, proporf;on 70 +bo ,,,,,
ber engaged, are killed by automobile
accidents than by aeroplane accidents.
Mr.. Crago says that the almost daily
reports of fatal aeroplane accidents
that one reads in the press must be
taken as an indication of the large
number of men engaged in the SER
vice, rather than of extra hazard at
taching to that branch of our military
activity.
While the Army appropriation bill
was under consideration in the House,
Congressman John Jacob Rogers of
Massachusetts endeavored to get an
amendment adopted providing for an
official exemption badge or button to
be worn by men who have volunteered
or been drafted, but who have been
rejected for valid cause by the military
authorities. The proposition was
framed in language written by the
Secretary of War himself, but it be-
ing new legislation it was subject to
a point of order which the Democrat
in charge of the bill did not hesitate to
make. Mr. Rogers states that when
he was in England last winter he saw
old men, young men, who had been
physically disqualified, and others who
had been rejected, wearing a large
badge showing that they were in citi-
zens clothing through no fault of their
own. He believes that some such in
sigma should be adopted by this coun-
try The Chairman of the Military
Committee has promised to take the.
matter up in the near future in the
form of separate bill and carefully
investigate it's merits.