Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-01
ARMY OFFICERS
HELD GUILTY IN
AIRpLANE PROBE
Hughes Recommends Court.
Martial Of Col. Deeds and
Prosecution OF Three
Others.
BY Associated Press.


awaited report on the aircraft In
vestiga,ion conducted during In
last five months by Charles r
Hughes and Attorney Genera
Gregory was placed before presi
lent Wilson today and made public
Delays and wastes oi the produc
ton program. the report declares
weye dac chiefly 40 defective or
gani5stion OF the work OF aircraf
production and the serious lack o
competent direction Of that worl
BY The responsible officers Of tn,
signal corps"
No fault u found with the man
agemeni OF aircraft affairs since re
organization OF last May, which
glazed John d. Ryan in charge. Tn,
civilian personnel OF the aircraf
production board is cxonerated o.
wrong doing.
Attorney General Gregory, in Z
letter transmitting the report tc
President Wilson, says he is "ir
substantial accord" with the finding:
bysMr Hughes.
Finds No Graft.
The repor, finds mo graft" in The
generally accepted sense. but makes
recommendations for proceedings
against army officers held guilty oil
dealing with corporations in which
they were interested
The chief waste from the original
appropriation OF $69i 1851 500 the
report says. was in the abandonment
OF two types OF airplanes--one OF
them the Bristol-and failure to sal
wage. aggregating about S24,000,000
Figures show that last May Sl34,
100000 oil that great appropriation
had been disbursed and up to De-
ioher !, the expenditure had reached
about Sl40.OO0.0O0 for all aviation
purposes. This did not include ex-
penditures OF the sales department
which buys material and resells it
TO manufacturers and for advances
Tor building plants. Contracts let,
however. committed about $40 ,000.-
VIZ ul TIC tuIlus NC HSul Go dIC
given in answer TO the general
charge that the sum had all been
expended with practically no re-
suits.
The attorney general concludes
in his letter OF transmittal that
No such profits have been allowed
as TO justify charge of bad faith"
Recommends court-martial.
Col. +. A. Deeds, about whom
ragged most OF the charges which
brought on the investigation, the
report recommends, should be
brought before a couyt-martial for
sending confidential War depart
mens Information on the aircraft
situation To- former business asso-
riases in Dayton. o., and for being
sponsor last February for gross
IL misleading statement" to the Ell
lsss tha, FIRST American built bat
he planes are today cnroute to the
front in France"
Criminal prosecutions OF three
army officers are recommended on
the ground they Transacted business
iih corporations in which they
wsFe financially interested. These
officers arc:
Ia Col J. G.. vincent. former
sixe president Of the Packard Mo-
tnf Car company. now in charge OF
the aifplaue engineering division OF
shx aircraft production bureau; 1t.
Iol George W. Mixter. stock
hufder In the CuFtiss Atrplane ard
Mosgg corporation. production man
agss OF the aircraft bureau. and
Sseasd IL. Samuel 3. Vrooman, ir,
susgestor of propeller lumber and
500. holder 10 che :. 3. Nrooman
ssmganv q Philadelphia. which
} ssld wsahngany 10 the government
~ aispaaeS
~. Huwhss soneluded his report
MsA the statement that it is not
wsssam ere province OF this report
. maze Recommendations with re-
sssxs % administrative policy. but
sAea Ne SAID that under the d.
ssutam 81 - Ryan and Mr.. Potter
sAave has been Improvement in or
9nalzasat and progress has been
assfe ~ gratifying measures"
William q. Potter. 90 whom NJ
sAaMh@s aaseFred, j. assistant direct
= ~ aircraft production.
Deliveries Behind Program.
TMe reeors showed that up to last
FaHe HE more than a wear after the
asaaw catered she war. OH finished
.m8aamas had been actually delivered
~ manufacturers. including ASH
snaeasarv trainag planes, 1910 adj
sasgsi framing planes and SIS com
49, Mssf semhfna planes OF the
Hatsnx machines. 80 were De
asilanfls art "a were of the
sl&aadaaed BRISTOL Designs.
NsFnaHe engines delivered 10 10
sssas nsae 8mauHted TO l4o35. OF
Massa & .eu we're Liberty motors for
Mnms 8mf bombing planes, 7,662
sars asr elementary framing ma
asaex and so Tor advanced tram
aM @lMaeS Ire original program
~ MsaswBv mlsasars alone had called
~ aaaas Erga Of these by lung
kHaina N re question Of profits
8a mams8as tors tor NFplanes and mo.
aarA " aalies cited figures show
80 ls&x nsiafaeairerS we're enabled
Mnsmaaa A. mnsb as $4,000 on each
h@wQ m8far and from $50 ID
~ % a4eh ansiled plane. Profits
a mma asses we're several hundred
aaw aassN 4t tfse mvsstsnent the re-
nrN M&sa
eseafueR @eHsgaf @resoFy. ia his
hAAna assmted aet tiiaf % per cen
- nnea 81 slie profits were takef
~ as sgxeFasasHf IN sasses and con
sMaasf tnaR 10 Nteh aroflfs Raw
aemR aln@@i ~ 10 sA&xity eharg'
= Aasf att