The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-10

Washington, April 1o-The gov
ernment's aircraft program is char
acterized as 'gravely disappointing"
and a drastic reorganization of pro-
duction machinery was recommended
in a report by the senate military
committee today, which charges gov
eminent officials with disappearing
the situation and misleading the pub
lie and with "procrastination" and
'fndecision."
The prospects for the future, the
committee said, look more favorable
weeks promises to get the program
under way to such an extent that
sufficient number of planes will be
furnished later to meet all require
ments of the troops in France.
One man control of production Is
proposed and the committee suggests
that building be taken entirely out
Of the hands of the signal corps. De-
lay is charged not only in the manu-
facture of Liberty motors and ma
chine parts, but in the training Of fly
ers as well.
The committee recommended that
| the one man administrator be ap-
| pointed by the president and assisted
| by a corps of expert engineers and de-
| signers. It suggested that no man
who has any near or remote interest
| in a company making aeroplanes OF
engines should be permitted "to act
as adviser or be in authority"
| The Liberty motor, the committee
declared, 'is just emerging from the
development or experimental stage,
and sis not designed for or can be
used in the swift single seated fight
ing machines"
OF 22,500 Liberty motors ordered,
the committee said, only 122 have
been completed for the army, 142 for
the navy and four shipped overseas.
1.-THE production of Liberty motors
to date is, of course, gravely disap-
pointing" says the report. Govern
ment officials have made the
mistake of leading the public and the
Allied nations to the belief that many
thousands of these motors would be
completed in the spring of 1918. In
formation of this sort, not borne out
by the facts, has been injurious, and
it's constant dissemination the COM
mittee regards as misleading and det-
rimental to our cause"
Regarding the training of aviators
the committee found that there
has been very serious delay in pro.
viding them with training planes.
"As result" the report says, "sev,
eral hundred of the American cadet:
|
made no progress"
, About 1900 cadets were sent t.
England, France and Italy last yea
to receive primary and advanced
training.
1.-THE experience Of a great many o
these men has been most unfortur.
ate," says the report. sin that a
some of the schools a very seriou
delay has occurred in providing then
= with training planes which it was ex
pected would be manufactured II
, foreign factories in sufficient number
= About $50 of them are reported a
having completed the primary train
ing after long delay. The Sigma
+ Corps is giving serious considerable!
to the advisability of bringing the re
mainder back to the United States.
Y With four new schools unde" con
! struction to be finished in Jure, tn
committee said the signal corps
now conducting twenty aviation train
ing schools in this country with
= total capacity of 5000 cadets. Grad
q yates have numbered 1926, commit;
stoned as reserve military aviator
L but Every few" have received the
= advanced training.
With the exception of what tn
committee referred to as severe di:
: appointment" the primary trainin
of aviators was said to appear to /
z progressing favorably. Fatalitit
V from accidents, the committee sal
. were distressing, but appear to /
less frequent than in the schools
our allies"