The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-25
THE AIRCRAFT INQUIRY.
CHAMBERLAIN RECEDES, LEAV-
ING HUGHES WITH FREE
HAND.
Situation is Cleared up When Hughes
Writes Letter Saying Parallel In
quiry Should Not be Undertaken.

the military committee war inquiry
plans to which President Wilson OBJ
jected, and the department of justice
investigation of aircraft production
directed by Chas. E. Hughes will pro-
ceed without having it's path cross
ed by congress.
Developments came quickly today
in a situation which had threa tened
an open fight on the floor of the SEN
ate and in which administration
leaders saw the possibility of two
simultaneous inquiries into all phases
Of the governments aviation pre-
gram. First, compromise was
reached under which the resolution
of Senator Chamberlain authorizing
investigation of various branches Of
war activities. including aviation. was
passed by the senate after being strip
ped of language which the president
had construed as virtually constitute
ing the military committee a commit
tee on the conduct Of the war
Soon afterward Senator Chamber
lain received letter from Attorney
General Gregory inclosing one from
Mr.. Hughes in which the latter stat
cd that the work he has undertaken
at President Wilson's request would
be embarrassed by parallel inquiry.
Mr.. Hughes outlined his idea Of how
the departments investigation should
be carried on. declaring that a state
ment Of results should be given to the
public regardless of whether basis
were found for either criminal or CIV
il proceedings in the courts.
This letter for n time seemed to
threaten a new conflict. Members Of
,he military committee, however,
quickly recognized the force of Mr..
Hughes statement. and it was tenta-
lively agreed that the sub committee
on aviation should confne it's activ;-
Etfes- -tu'iocking over the existing situ-
alton and leave all that has gone be-
fore to the department of justice.
The demand of Mr. Hughes for "a
free hand was endorsed in q note of
transpittal by Attorney General
Gregory who. it is reported, had dis
cussed the matter with President
Wilson NTr
"At an interview between you. Judge
Hughes and myself on last Saturday
you asked what would be the scope
of our pending inquiry into the air.
craft problem. and also indicated that
you would like to know what We
thought may be the effect upon our
work of an investigation by com
mittee of the senate into the aircraf,
program. Subsequently I suggeste
that Judge Hughes write me a letter
embodying his ideas on the two
points involved. / herewith enclose
copy of his letter. and will state tha,
| agree with the views therein ex.
pressed"
I'm accordance with your request, -
Mr.. Hughes wrote, 81 shall attempt
to summarize briefly some of the
points discussed in our conference to-
day, particularly with respect to the
scope of inquiry. 1t is quite eviden,
from the material you have already
gathered and from the matters dis
cussed with you and Mr.. Frierson
that 1t would be necessary for us
carefully to examine all the activities
relating to aircraft production. It is
easy. of course. theoretically, to dis
tinguish between an inquiry within
the province of the department of
justice and one which is aimed mere
ly at alleged waste, or neglect, or mis-.
management, or inefIiciency, apar:
from any appropriate basis for q civil
suit to recover misappropriated mon
eys. or a criminal prosecution.
"As a practical matter. however, il
Is evident that in the endeavor to de-
termine whether there is n basis for a
civil suit by the government or u
criminal prosecution, it will be neces-
sary for us to make a thorough in
Cuiry into the entire history of air-
craft production since the beginning
OF the war and of all proceedings
which have been taken by any person
or corporation concerned Herewith
We shall not be able to ascertain
whether there has been dishonesty or
malversatiOn of any kind unless we
go thoroughly into all the transac-
tions.
1T we discover basis for civil