Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-26
SAY HUGHES REPORT
WILL Be SENSATION
Trail of Graft Said to Run
Through Aircraft Pro-
duction.
SABOTAGE AND INCOMPETENCE
Some Companies Alleged to Be
Making 200 Per Cent
on Investment.
SABOTAGE AND INCOMPETENCE

WASHINGTON. August 25-The re-
port Of the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee on the aircraft program and the
publication Of sensational evidence be-
fore the committee Is simply prepara-
tory TO the big smash which is expect
ed to come this week with the report
OF the investigation conducted by
Charles f. Hughes.
Members of the Senate investigating
committee who refrained from pursu-
ing questions OF personal or criminal
responsibility in the matter Of aircraft
production. but could not help but see
'he outcroppings in the course of their
investigation. and other investigators
who have gone over precisely the same
ground covered by Mr.. Hughes, conf
dentially predict a report from him
hat will demand immediate and sweep
ing action on the part of the Depart
ment of Justice.
What they have found. and what they
say Mr.. Hughes has found. is in part:
trali OF graft that runs through
the aircraft production program from
the beginnlnS up TO the present time
Saootage' proved and certain. coupled
Win criminal acts In production Of air
craft, negligence and incompetency that
can only be arrested by the strong arm
OF The law.
Profiteering. extravagance and GRIM
mai waste of materials of almost in
estimable value to the speeding uo OF
aircran production and its consequent
erect sas upon the strength and effective
hcSs OF our troops In the battle line
Favoritism and high pay for super
VISION OF work by persons wholly in
competent for the task and insp.c lion
tndt was farce and nothing short of
contributory to murder in giving tn.
stamp OF approval at the factory TO
machines that would prove man Killers
when tried out on the flying fields.
MEN OF TEUTONIC BLOOD OR
EXTRACTION IN HIGH PoSITIoSS
\ singular group of men of Teutonic
oIood or extraction in important nosi :
tions IN aircraft production plants and
ne rolation OF skilled workmen of the
same class from one aircraft plant to
another. W
IL is possible that the Hughes re-
port may be silent on the last sub
men are associated in one way.o-
cther with the aircraft producti,n nro-
sram tran,ed pf1hes Ih nothing. but 1t has .a5-
other Investigators and has been a
source of misgivings about achieve
auri The e. taint Of graft in aircraft pro-
uuction Is said 10 be so ingrained that
none OF the Investigators thus far en-
pioSeo nave been able to isolate the
Ma sgaos unrS and trace ace them to their source.
~
portunlty to go into the matter and
ms known Skill in following leads and
nred,n,Esoa reidNtns al results is the basis for the
port will give concrete results on his
subject. oh lhis
SABOTAGE DISCOVERED IN
EVERY BRANCH OF INDUSTRY
oviaD ia aDo1ags. Tag or the ,wiilful cripping of
their production. has aireadv baen
proved by other investieations under
ens eoSea9ment IN ,I direction. and has been
@ the Hupbne an bne ,Hnos, Hnown lines followed by
In some form has been discovered ir
every branch of aircraft production
stor1ne o lne eatti1s acti1s Of the spruce logs TO
planes sr intended for military service.
20 ne ne mnest spruce logs. singled out
great m n'Ffrn,t tro,h,n ,nroduction and brought at
Is, nave torn the machinery Of
sawmills 10 pieces and caused serious
ueiaS because because great iron spikes had
concealed So skillfully as to defy The
-. !orms OF inspection.
maehineea ee hf5afeg srifisb finished combat
OF the factory and ready for a test
suddenly burst into flames and va.
renee eaeeoyea Was This insxplainable occur.
IT appeared to be directed particulariv
against this type of machine.
bR1sToL FIGHTER ABANDONED
BECAUSE OF SABOTAGE
SO many faults and defects develoned
IN the construction of the Bristol fiehter
-not al due to admitted errors in
,,ooilcatlon mo or design-that the type
vas wa summarily abandoned after orders
r;vep eG proaaction g. 81 in quantity had been
gwen at large expense to the govern
ment. 1t is held in official ouaTters in
washington that sabotage as much az
lauit IN design caused the abandonment
machine. Hs hlihs
Minute inspection of machines ~
other types has revealed that the can
VaS or the wings had been tscl;e 70
the ribs, causing the ribs 70 snI;t
lhroush the shrinkage of the canvas
ana an making the machine unsafe for
This is a diaboIicaI form of saboto
or Of criminal Ignorance or ne~lieensee
such a fault in construction is con.
ceaied in the first place by the ca nya c
covering or the wings and the defect
aSes .t not develop until the canvas
snrinKs and splits the ribs. Then il
discovered to have existed even sfter
some hapless aviator has crashed TO
the earth through the failure OF the
wings to support the machine, and
the wreckage is examined.
Prohteering. inasmuch as 1t also in
the subject for recommendation for
criminal prosecution in the Hughes re-
port. There can be no further doubt
or Drohteering in aircraft production
IL has been shown that some compa-
MES engaged in branches of aircraft
borhood of 200 per cent on capital
invested and the maximum allowance
under government contracts at the
present time is 10 per cent.