Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1918-05-23
THE AIRPL ANE SCANDAL.
Lnnal Trihnne. May IS. 1919.

how strenuous the defenders of the
Aviation Bureau may be. there are a
few facts which seem to be insurmount-
able These are:
l. After all the intense interest felt
by the American people by the wide
spread conviction that the war was to
be won by airplanes, the fact remains
that there has been sent
But one AHtcric0R ailpidHe u
Europe!
2. The whole world looked for the
United States to furnish the greater
part of the mighty fleet with which it
was expected to fill the air over the
! fighting lines. We had invented the
airplane, and we had greater number
of mechanics than any other country;
we had more factories capable Of being
turned into the manufacture Of air
planes than any other nation in the
world. yet, although we have been al
war more than year, we have sent -
BIT one american diypidHc 10
| EUROPE
3. The intense interest of the Amer
lean people in the development of an
air navy was shown by the readiness
with which Congress appropriated the
colossal sum of 500, 900, 900 to equip
such a fleet. This sum was greater
than the entire expenses Of some single
year of the civil war 1t was a liber-
atty Of appropriation which astonshed
the world, and this money was made
Immediately available over year ago,
yet we have sent
But one Imcrican airpionc TO
EWopoi
4. Our wonderful piano factories,
auto factories, sewing -machine facto-
ries, typewriter factories and other
similar establishments are the greatest
10 the world in their capacity and their
groups of skilled workmen. The pro
prietors of all these, with eager patri,
otism, placed all their facilities at the
command of the War Department to
make the much needed airplanes, yet
in year we have sent
BIT one american obpidHe to
Europe
5. The Secretary of War is sup
posed to have availed himself Of all the
American skill which was offered him
and TO have called in consultation and
advice the assistance of everybody who
could help in this vitality importan;
need The papers have been filled with
wonderful accounts of the Liberty
motor, and with the rapid progress.
made in turning out airplanes, yet we
have sent
BIT one Americm aiipianc d,
Europe
6. A great bureau of the War De
partment is presided over by a mar
wearing the highly honorable and much
coveted double stars of a Major-Gen
eral, with a salary surprising that OF
| Nht hiEhtoN NllNtAb III the iShAuptdi
armies. He has under him Brigadier
Generals, Colonels 10y the score. Lieu
tenant Colonels, Majors, Captains anC
Lieutenants by the gross. All these
are high salaried officials; most OF
them have been educated at West
Point at great expense TO the Govern
ment. and are supposed to know all
wisdom and strange things, yet with
this formidable array of brains at the
Governments disposal we have sent -
But enc american dirpioHc "a
Europe!
Z. The Senate Committee on Mill
tary Affairs has been conducting an
examination to find just where the
fault for all this lies. This committee
is one Of the ablest in the Senate. and
its members are thoroughly informed
as to public affairs and desperately in
earnest in bringing about victory to
crown our efforts They have spent
weeks in investigating this matter, and
have filled the columns Of the Con
gressional Record with the extensive
report which has been earnestly de.
bated. Eight Of these Senators. who
have examined into the subject with all
the skill and determination possible,
have presented the most scathing re-
port, blaming every one. from the Sec
rotary Of War down, in unmistakahle
terms, Three Of these Senators are
Democrats and five Republicans, so
that their action may be considered
non-partisau Three other Senators.
members Of the committee and Demo
Gratis, have made defense more or
less sophisticated, but unable to gloss
over the fact that we have sent
But enc ImsrfcuH airpldae rs
Europe
The Secretary Of War, aroused at
last by the stinging comments of the