New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-11
Senators Find
Work on Aeros
Is Far Behind
Majority Report Says Pub.
lie Is Misled; Sole
Director Is Urged

WASHINGTON, April 10.-Difficulties
encountered in developing the nations
great aviation programme were pre-
sented to the Senate to-day in widely
different aspects through majority and
minority reports on the Military Com
mittee's protracted Investigation of tho
subject.
The majority, through Senator
Chamberlain, of Oregon, chairman, de-
clared the entire aviation situation
gravely disappointing, charged govern
ment officials responsible for the pro-
gramme with misleading the public
with over-optimistic statements and ur.
gently recommended that control be
taken from the army Signal Corps ana
placed in the hands of single execu
tive officer appointed by the President.
Eight members Of the Senate COM
mIttce besides Chairman Chamberlain
signed the majority report. They were
Senators Hitchcock. Nebraska; Reed.
Missouri, and Thomas, Colorado, Demo
Gratis, and Frelinghuysen, New ,Jcr-
sey; New, Indiana; Wadsworth. New
YORK; Sutherland. Utah, and Weeks,
Minority Defends Work
Senators Myers of Montana and
h'fby OF Arkansas Joined Senator
Sheppard of Texas in the minority re-
port, which asserted the majority
1alled to give an accurate impression
of the facts, and that in the face Of #
unparalleled obstancles "on the whole
the record Of the Signal Corps is one
OF which every American can be Justly
proud"
Although the ajority says the pro-
ducton of combat planes has been a
substantial failure, apparently there is
no great difference of opinion between
the majority and the minority as to
the present status of the programme
as whole, the disagreement arising
over whether there has been inefficiency
and procrastnation and misleading
publicity, as the majority charges.
Some information heretofore regard
cd as closely guarded secrets is dis
closed in the reports. Among other
things it is shown that:
Primary training planes to the num-
Der of 3,A5S and 342 advanced training
machines have been completed in this
country
Production Of training planes in the
United States is now proceeding on
quantity basis.
Arrangements have been made with
France for the construction there CT
5000 battle planes by 1000 American
mechanics sent across the ocean for
the purpose and using / 900 tons of
American material.
Construction of 1,500 battle planes
in the United States is planned.
1926 Aviators Graduated
Twenty training schools in America
have graduated 1926 reserve officer
aviators, though few of them have been
given advanced training, and that
OF l,2Q0 cadets sent last year to
England, France and Italy for training
only 450 have completed primary train
ing, and because of the lack of planes
the others may have to be recalled
home.
Investigation of aviation problems
by President Wilson's special com
mittee, headed by II. Snowden Mar
shall, still is in progress and a pre-
limlnary report from that body as TO
It's findings IN connection with organ-
zation Of the aviation service has been
called for by the War Department. 1t
has been indicated at the department
that action toward readjusting respon-
siplllty lor the production Of aircraft
would be based on that report.
The publication Of specific figures in
the Senate committees report attracted
considerable attention among army Off
GERS. Brigadier General Mcintyre
chief military censor, said he had rot
been consulted as to the advisabli.y
of making the disclosures
There is growing feeling about the
war Department that final settle
ment of the air programme controversy
must be reached very soon unless the
ef1ci> >ncy Of the personnel now in charge
is to be impaired by the unrest and
confusion created by constant agitation.
Ofcers pointed, however, to the fact
that the majority report itself shows
better production figures are now com
ing forward as the programme gets
under way, after much difficulty from
whatever cause
Training Schools
The report follows:
THE Signal Corps has established
and is now conducting twenty aviation
training schools in the United States
Four additional schools are in process