The sun., 1918-04-09
SENATE REPORT
BARES FAILURE
OF U.S.IN AIR
Every Charge Against War
Departments Programme
Is Substantiated.
no FIGHT PLANES ABROAD
Liberty Motor Can Be Used
Only for Observation and
Bombing Machines.
sperfaI Despdtch TO THp srS.


WARRINGTON. April s.-The Senate
Military Committee has in preparation
4 report based upon Its investigations
covering the airplane production pro-
sramme OF the Government. The report
will review the situation and the
progress OF Americas effort toward air
supremacy from its inccptive stage down
TO the present moment. Throughout
th,s afternoon and we'll into the night
the committee sat in secret session
working over the details Of the testi-
mony a6duced on this subject With .
view to making public all OF IT. knorl-
edge on the subject.
The report will be based on informa-
ton conveyed to the committee by
Major-Gen. George o. Squier. Chief Of
the Signal Corps. Col. E. a. Deeds. head
OF the aviation section: Howard Comm
Of the Council Of National Defence. and
chairman Of the Aircraft Production
Hoard. Director W. s. Clifford Of tho
Council Of National Defence and an
array Of expert witnesses.
The report OF the Senate committee
will anticipate the report Of the Snow
oen Marshall committee appointed by
the President to investigate the air
craft situation and speed It up In cer-
tain essentials the Senate committee
report from present Indications will be
at variance with some Of the conclusions
known to have been reached by the
Marshall board.
Amons the various interesting things
that the Senate report will disclose Will
be that the declarations Of the Secretary
o. War before the committee In both So
cret and open sessions and through the
medium Of the Committee on Public In
formation have been superoptimistic.
For An example Of this the report will
show that not only has America no hght-
ing planes at the front In France---that
is. fight planes OF American design and
ranufacture-but that the Government
does not contemplate their manufacture
this year.
News Statements A0rmed.
Tho report will show that the state
ments made on the Aoor Of the Senate by
senator New Ind.) and corroborated
b. others Who uataAsd 10 the testimony
IN the Military Committee to the effect
that America will not be able 70 land
more than thirty-seven planes In France
by July are founded on the convincing
testimony Of the experts.
The Senate committee report will In.
s,st that tho testimony shows that ths
War Department no longer anticipate:
making q fight plane motor OF the pres
ent Liberty engine. but will confins II.
uses to observation planes. planes fo
carrying Photographic operators. heav!
bombing planes and training planes. I
will hold that there Is nothing II hai
discovered TO Justify the assumption tina
the Liberty motor can be used for higi
speed flying.
The present plan Of the War Depart
ment. pending a development OF Lib
erty motor that can ny = plane At I
rate Of speed that will rival the enem!
f;ht planes. Is to use the Rolls Royc'
placed for the construction in Grea
Britain Of fight planes Of this design To-
the American fiers.
L. 3. to Build Slow Planes.
One OF the encouraging features o
the report in regard TO the Libert!
motor will be its prediction that tn
quantity production. once reached, vii
suffice to relieve British and Frencl
manufacturers Of the necessity for fur
,her employment OF their energies II
the building Of observation or comba
planes Of other classes than the fas
fighting n!ers
The tenor OF the report will be 4
slbstantiate practically every charg
made against Secretary Bakers admin
!s'ration OF the airplane production pro
Eramme through tn various aGencie
Directly and indirectly responsible t,
MIN. I. will be signed by a majority o
the committee. including practically ev
cry Republican and at least four II no
Ave OF the Democratic members. Sen
s'ors Kirby tArk.) and Sheppard tTex.
will not sign any report which in an.
vice critcses the administration Of Sec
fetary Baker. Who the other recalci
trants on the committee are Is yet to b.
seen