New-York tribune., 1918-05-11


considerable difficulty in getting this
material, owing to the reluctance o.
army officers TO let him see it. He
seemed to particularly condemn
Colonel (. A. Deeds, making various
extreme charges against him and
also Colonel Montgomery. He re-
forcrred to conferences had with
Major General Squier. and went
on 10 say further in connection with
this gentleman that he had found
nothing against him in his investi-
gation.'
At a conference At the metropolitan
Club on January IL, attended by Mr
Borglum, Suplec and . Nichols, Mi,
says he asked Borglum just what wa:
to be gained by the exposition of these
men and how he expected to serve tht
country ''by tearing down that fol
which he had no substitute to offer"
Mr. Boiglum protested he did not
want to tear down the present organi
zation OF the Aircraft Board" con
tinucs Mix, "but that he would
build UP a struc ture around it COM
posed of men OF questionable busi
ness methods, and who would rush
the American air programme TO rapid
completion.
'1ir. Borglum stated he did not
know at that time how to build
scout planes or any other aircraft
which could be depended upon to
suHpass those now being construct
ed, but that through his friendship
with the White House and the ac-
quaintancc with Mr.. Gibson, the en-
gineer in the employ Of the British
Ministry of Munitions. he would
have access to the best foreign and
American designs and practices. He
then asked me to make suggestions
as to new personnel for the Air
craft Board and to suggest such men
as thought would be able to carry
through the programme rapidly and
efficiently.
AT this point | became suspicious.
Not Of Mr.. Borglum's meth
DDS. but OF his ability to aid the
country by working along the lines
he had suggested during the after
noon and evening conference. 1t is a
mystery TO me why man vested
with this high authority should make
confdant of me in matter of such
extreme Importance and secrecy, and
why he should desire my opinion,
which must Of necessity be a weak
one, upon the personnel of a new Air
craft Board. | decided something
was radically wrong.
"rhe thought occurred to me that
possibly this man through his friend
ship with the President had obtained
authority which makes him decid-
cdly dangerous to tho interests Of the
country, in which he might remove
from activity those. people now re-
sponsible for the industrial devel-
opment of aircraft without hope Of
substituting in their stead new
working force.
knowledge Might let to Enemy
"lt occurred to me that much, val
liable time might be lost; it further
struck me that if he would take
me into his confidence in this matter
he might take others less cautious of
their country's interests, and he
might give wide publicity to the
matters discussed with me, and that
he might show to others his creden-
tials from the President as evidence
of his authority. Such method,
to my mind, would be fatal, particu-
larly if it became public property,
and through the medium of gossip
our aircraft programme became
known to the enemy.
II discussed this matter with A1r.
Suplec, and stated to him OFF the con
clusion of that meeting that so far
as the new company was concerned
] thought it best to drop all discus
sion Of it, inasmuch as Mr.. Borglum
did not have the designs to submit
for construction, but was probably
relying upon his official powers to
requisition andsget certain informa-
ton from the government which
could be turned over TO the new COM
pany for construction"
Mix says he told Supiee, Who &C
companied him, that, he proposed tt
lead BOrglum on, pretending to bt
very anxious to start the company. H'
again saw the sculptor, he adds, Will
the purpose of seeing whether or no
Mr.. Borglum was willing to use hi
official authority as means to fur
ther a private interest"
After conference with Borglum, Mi.
decided he should disclose the who'll
matter to the government. On advic
OF +. S. Hardesty, his fathers friend
he went to Howard Coffin and told hin
without reserve on January l6 OF 81
that had transpired.
Receives Letter From Gibson
The statement was prepared by MI
Mix in Mr. .Hardesty's office, and h
notes that while he was writing it
letter arrived for him, copy Of whicl
he attaches. This letter is on the sta
tonery OF the British Ministry Of Mu
nitions of War in tho United States o
America, under date OF New York
January l6, and addressed to Mr.. Mix
1t says:
"Dusenhurg states that it is Italian
about $50. A peculiar mark her
probably means horsepower, referrin.
to an airplane cngineO Being bull
to special order of government L. s,
and won't say any more.
"'rhis looks interesting. No doub
you and Mr.. B. can get the rest o,
the information.
"Hope to hear as to how you are pro
crossing"
The letter is signed Hugh c. Gibson
In concluding his statement Mix say
that on January 20 he called on Vice
President Marshall and laid full de
tails Of the transactions with Borglun
before him. The following day tn
papers were returned to Mix "witl
Mr, Marshall's assurance that he ha
taken the matter up with Secretar
Baker and that it would he attende
to in detail"
Other documents dated as far bac
as September IA show that Borglur
at that time was working on airplan
inventions. A letter from Borglum t
General Squier regarding an airplan
brake device was also sent to the Prea
ident. In postscript longer than tn
original letter Borglum talks Of tw
new forms of planes which he said h
had perfected as to their major prol
lens.