The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-07-18
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON

both parties. Those members who
have faltered in their support of the
war aims Of the government will
have hard time explaining their
attitude 10 their constituents. Hard
ly a family will be found which
has not in some manner been touch
ed by the call to the colors and IL will
he difficult for the Stacker legis-
lators TO satisfactorily explain their
failure to support the man in the
trenches.
The aircraft situation is the
principle inquisitorial matter before
Congress. A double investigation is
being made into every phase Of air
craft production. The Department
of Justice, with former Justice
Charles +. Hughes Examiner, is
making an exhaustive and searching
inquiry. The public will soon be
given all the facts connected with
the matter, and will be able 10 Judge
for itself the merits of the contro-
vcrsy over aircraft production which
has ragged almost continually since
the outbreak Of the war. Expert
opinion is almost unanimous that
the recommendation Of John ID. Ryan
the new Director Of aircraft pro-
duction, that the government take
over and operate all the factories
where the airplanes are being built,
is the proper solution Of the ques-
ton. II will be remembered that
the shipbuilding was never placed
on a satisfactory basis until the
government organized the Emery
ency Fleet Corporation and assumed
the responsibility of building its
own merchant marine. But while
all this investigating is going on,
we are assured that airplane pro-
duction is proceeding more salts
factorily than at any time since the
program was begun.
For the first time, the motors and
planes are being turned out in
quantity and are being sent overseas
rapidly. That the Liberty motor
had proved itself capable Of salts
factory performance is shown by
the fact that the allied governments
are filling large orders for the
American product. When the Lib
erty motor was first put forward
as Americas contribution 30 Win
ming the war in the air., there was
much skepticism. Foreign motor eX e
perts said that an airplane engine
could not be turned out by machine
methods b. equal the hand work Of
English and French mechanics.
American experts said the stand
ardizing Of the motor was the only
answer to the question of quantity
production. All the indications are
now that with Americas aid, the
allies will have complete dominance
Of the air before the end Of the
year.
The chaotic Russian situation has
everybody guessing, including
President Wilson. Plans were
rapidly maturing for sending an
economic commission to Russia
when the murder of Count Won Mir
bach, the German Ambassador at
Moscow. added a new element OF
uncertainty to the situation.
Whether the economic commission
plan will be followed, or whether
military Intervention will become
necessary. will be determined soon.
II has been definitely determined
by the War Department that 1t VIII
be impracticable to bring home the
bodies of Americans who die IN
France. Beginning with the iirst
death of American boys on foreign
soils. requests have been coming IN
from relatives that their remains
be- brought home. Careful invest
ieaiion has shown that this policy
cannot be adopted, and it is under
stood that General Pershing mas
vetoed the plan. Thus it is prob
able that Americas heroic dead viii
find their final resting place on the
soil of France, for which they have
made the supreme sacrifice.
BY the time this is publlsheo,
Herbert G.. Hoover will have landed
i'm England. The American FOOD
administrators will be acclaimed
abroad as few other Americans have
heen. He is regarded by the British
as the man who saved them from
starvation. The remarkable fore
sight which has marked Hoover :
efforts to feed the allied world from
tbe surplus created by conservation
methods i'm this country, have stamp
ed him a genius. I'm England, theE
are calling him the food dictator OF
the world. and no American, unless
il be President Wilson himself mas