The sun., 1919-07-31
SAW NEW PLANES
BURNED In FRANCE
Witnesses Say Costly Motors
Were Ripped Out by Tai
lors and Cooks. 4
TELL OF "$1, 100000 FIRE"
Investigators Drop Prison In
, quiry to Await Action by
e.
War Department.

The story Of what army gossip has
called the million dollar fire." the de-
nberate burning of a hundred and fifty
or moro airplanes at an assemblage sta-
ton in France after the armistice, was
told here yesterday to the special Con-
gressionai subcommittee investigating
foreign expenditures by men who helped
prepare the machines for destruction.
The comittee turned to this subject
yesterday. abandoning for the present
the inquiry into prison abuses abroad.
which produced sensational testimony
Tuesday at Governors Island. But
Chairman johnson made It plain the
prison inquiry will not be dropped. The
contention of "Hardboned" Smith and
others that higher officers were respon-
sible will be put up to the War Depart
ment with full list of the names and
documents alluded to at Tuesdays hear
ing.
Then n we don't get results wen
take It I'D again" said Chairman John
SON
VIII Examine Harris in Paris.
He indicated that IL possible the COM
mittee will examine Gen, Harris, com
handing the Paris district, where most
OF the prison cruelties are alleged to
have occurred. when they get to Paris
early next month He also indicated
that Col. Grimstead. ''Hardboiled'
Smiths immediate superior who got out
OF the army without punishment despite
the official recommendation that he be
~ a 49, w.1 H.. a.
Service OF Supply, and Gen. Strong. In
command of the Fortieth Division, will
be called also before the committee has
finished.
The trip of the committee to Europe,
however. Is primarily concerned with the
matter of expenditures. Gen. Pershing
will be summoned as a witness to ex-
plain not only such things as the destruc-
ton of material recounted to the committee
yesterday. but some of the private and
official contracts with the French and
British.
= Chairman Johnson expressed himself
as by no means satisfied with the reply
OF General Pershing to the statements
In America that loo, 900 automobiles had
been destroyed and other valuable prop
erty allowed TO go to pieces through
lack OF care.
I'VE want to get some Of that ma
terial back TO the United States" added
Representative Bland We've heard
that 100000 pairs OF shoes were sold
to the Belgisns at a ridiculously low
price when the shoe trade journals are
predicting that they will be twenty
dollars a pair here by fall"
Representative Flood, Democratic
member of the subcommittee, who will
go to Europe with the other members
was In Washington yesterday conduct
ing on the floor the fight against the
resolution for the sale in this country
Of the surplus stocks Of army food.
According to the witnesses who ties.
titled yesterday with regard to the great
burning OF airplanes at Colombes-les-
Bellies. motors and instruments wert
ripped out Of the planes, some OF which
appeared to be new, by tailors, bar
bers cooks and all sorts of hands at the
field, under the direction OF a master
electrician. The bodies and wings were
then appended, permitting the motors
to crash to the ground. all the bodie,
were grouped together with gasoline
still In the tanks and the whole great
pile set on fire.
None Of the witnesses admitted TAX.
planes, nor would they venture any
them asserted that the tags were still
on the motors. showing they had nevel
been used. After the bolts had beer
cut and the planes tipped by the tai
these motors were alleged to have suf
fered severe damage in the four OF
FIVE foot fall to the ground. They were