New-York tribune., 1918-05-08
chamberlain Asserts
No "Whitewashing"
Will Be Toll
Grated
Gregory Confers
With President
w. L. Frierson Put i'm
Charge Of Depart
ment of Justice
Investigation

WASHINGTON, May 7. Senator
chamberlain announced in the Senate
.o.dav that the Military Affairs Com
u;ttee. Of which he was chairman, pro-
,o.ed to investigate the aircraft situa
tiop, "to put its finger upon those re-
.nonsible for delay" He added that
The committee didn't propose "to en-
.sve in any whitewashing process,
.;ther." The Senator was moved to do
h;s hv the reading in the Senate of
.hs Presidents letter urging investiga-
.;nn nv the duly constituted authorl-
..s of the government. AS one of the
auly constituted authorities the Senate
will investigate.
This will make three Investigations
~. by the Senate Military Affairs
Committee, one by the Department OF
Justice and ono by military court OF
;,cuirv. asked for by General Squier.
presumably the Senate will not concern
;.se,f with any possible criminal phases
Of the subject, and thus it will avoid
giving immunity to persons whom the
Denartment OF Justice may seek to
prosecute.
House Ends Brief Inquiry
In the meantime the House Military
Committee, considering the S15,O0O,OOO,-
600 army appropriation bill with
slooo,oOo0oo for aviation, virtually
eompleted a brief aifcraft inquiry of
its OWE.
IN the hearing on the s1,ooo,O0o,o0
syiationax estimate before the House
Military Affairs Committee the War
Department gave the committee an ac-
counting for the S640,000 900 already
appropriated for aviation. showing that
s370,0OO,O0O actually had been spent
and that of the unexpended balance
s2700O0,0OO covers contracts for con-
struction already placed.
Secretary of War Baker in his testi-
Inony declared that much of the criti-
csm of the aircraft production pro-
rramme had been stimulated by Ger
man propagandists.
After hearing Secretary Baker and
bis chief aids for aviation the commit
teemen were agreed that the situation
did not call for an investigation by
them. Leading members said after the
meeting they were convinced both that
there had been no criminal liability
for delays and deficiencies in the past
and that the present status of War De-
partment plans was satisfactory.
The Attorney General conferred for
an hour with the President after the
Cabinet meeting. Later he announced
that Assistant Attorney General Will
lam l.. Frierson had been assigned to
conduct thorough inquiry, with the
assistance Of other lawyers of the de-
partment and special agents of the bu-
reau of Investigation.
Borglum To Be Examined
One of the first steps of Mr.. Frier-
son will be to examine the report sub
nitted to the President by Gutzon
norglum, the sculptor. and to call upon
Mr. Borglum for evidence to support
his sweeping charges of graft and pro-
GERMAN intrigue. Attorney General
Gregory said the sculptor would be
given the fullest opportunitx to sub
stantiate his allegations.
:. In addition to the Borglum report
Mr. Frierson will have the report of
the Presidents special committee, head
"a by Snowden Marshall, and such in
formation as has been developed by
The Senate committee
Senator Chamberlain announcement
aoiiowed conferences of military com
mittee members and discussion of the
subject OF the floor OF the Senate. The
committee expects to begin it's work
within week, and probably will dele
gate II to sub committee to meet in
Executive session.
Will Fix Responsibility
Senator Chamberlain referred to the
ssnarges that pro-German influences
nave inspired criticism of the aircraft
programme, and declared such charges
'rcm doing his duty.
Sensational charges affecting the
sslcraft programme are being received
CSahy by committee members" said the
senator "The whole business has
seen camoulaged and. misrepresented
70 the American people. This COM
.mittee is determined to do whatever
= necessary to help win the war. If
mere is responsibility for lack Of
speeding up, the committee proposes to
pet ., its finger on the men responsible
wathout fear or favor, and it doesn't
propose to engage in any whitewashing
process, either"
senator Brandegee, of Connecticut,
nepublican, and others approved the
proposal TO give the public complete in
ao!mation. The Connecticut Senator
ssld it was time for those making
ssaarges regarding the aviation situa-
uon to "prove up or shut up.
Especial Dispatch to The Tribuns)
WASHINGTON. May THAT a
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