Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-09
HARNESS. SPEAKS
FOR AIR PROGRAM
Billion Dollar Expenditure Does
Not Indicate Anything
Wrong He Says

st. Adams, May 6.-Speal<ing Saturday
at the win the War Rally here James
Iartness, who as member of the United
States Aircraft Commission has just re-
turned from the Inter-Allied Aircraft
Standardization Conference in London,
declared that 1t would be criminal to
disturb aircraft development at this time,
declared that we should build on the
skilled ability that already has been
worked up. Mr.. Hardness stated that
he was not free to discuss the elements
of the work undertaken in Europe by the
aircraft commission, but was free to
express views that any industrialist would
have on this subject independent of his
relations to the aircraft board Mr.
Uartness said:
1.-The popular mind sees only something
criminal in our not getting results after
using a billion dollars to build airplanes.
1t Is very natural to assume that with
practically unlimited capital an immense
number of airplanes could be produced
in six or nine months, but as matter
of fact n machine in the intricacy and
high tension service of an airplane can
only be made by men having special
ability, and this special ability must be
acquired in the work itself. Making
auto engines may serve as an apprentice
ship to the work of making aircraft en-
gines and in the same way various other
trades may be considered as elementary
training schools for those who are to do
the other work that is necessary to the
production Of a complete airplane
Special skill is something that cannot
be created instantly The nmble fingers
Of the pianist are helpless when put to
some Of the other uses. Many examples
could be cited to indicate the hopelessness
of any plant that depended on getting
together an organization to produce a
machine similar to the airplane in a
period of less than year. We must re-
member that in the airplane every men,
Der is subjected to the highest possible
stress and that all parts Of the plane must
constitute one harmonious whole.
The arplane has been made possible
only by the advance that has grown out
of the various trades. A satisfactory ma.
chine, that is, one that can become q fail
rival for the enemy's machines can only
be made under the direction of the ablest
directors and by the skill of men who
have acquired that skill in that very art
With these obvious facts in mind it Is
not necessary to be an industrialist Il
know that period of one year is a very
short time in which to produce salts
factory machine.
1.-THE expenditure of a billion dollar.
with no large shipments OF satisfactor.
machines seems to the uninitiated to b'
unquestionable evidence of gross incom
petence If not something worse on the par
of the management. But as a matte
of fact coincident with the attempt t.
bring forth a satisfactory machine larg
preparations have been made for quantit.
production. If the aim in quantity pro
duction had been ten times as larg
there would have been still less tangible
results. If it had been one tenth a
large there would have been fairl.
satisfactory substantial evidence of tn
useful expenditure of the funds. The hes
management Of inexperienced men, an
we must remember that 80 per cent. o
men must be inexperienced on accoun
of there being no quantity of experience
men available, would have resulted i
about what we have to-day-an unbal
anced preparation.
IF the war plan has been held up b
n wilful scheme of proflteering we ma
rest assured that the people of tn
country will put aside all consideration
of mercy in treating with these case.
But our plan now must be to win tn
war and In prosecuting that plan W
must do all that can be done to increas
the output Of satisfactory machines"