New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-14

ces, gave us the largest assembly @
aviation that had ever been engage
in one operation on the western
front.
In other words, these splendi
divisions of ours, with all Amer:c
and her wealth behind them, wer
dependent in this very great battl
upon the French for the artillery an,
the personnel to man the artiller,
that went into this great figh:
Splendid, heroic. patriotic France
And then, with the exaggerate,
stories by those in authority abou
sending over airplanes by the thou
sands and tens OF thousands. We fint
that in that great battle. with Amer
ica's thousands and tens of thou
sands" Of airplancs and Libert,
motors, the independent French al
service and the British bombing
service were there to aid our ow-
service in the observations which
were absolutely necessary to con
duct the artillery fire of our owr
troops and to watch the movement.
of the enemy.
Now I am going to call attention
to some testimony obta ned and r..
ported by the representative Of the
President himself-Hon Charles +
Hughes. who was appointed by the
President to investigate the aircraft
situation; and in offering that testi-
mony presume | can not be charged
with unfairness or srepresenta
ton with reference to facts. But
statement in his repor: tina. within
three months and a half before tn .
armistice was signed--that is. on
the 9TH day of August. lel8-the
first Am. .rican squadron. completely
equipped by American product on. in
cluding appliances. crossed the Ger
man lines; and yet we have been
led to believe by the statements Of
many of those in authority, given
sometimes officially and sometimes
in extraoff'c;al statements. that as
far back as February 20lol8, we were
sending those airplanes over by
thousands
A squadron consists Of Is planes.
The first squadron of IS American
made planes. then went over the
German lines on the 9TH OF August
We were assisted by the French
arain in this service: bit wen France
Great Britain, and America all
combined could not get enough air
planes over there to do the work
that was necessary to be done. If
America had gotten to work and had
done the things that were necessary
L. l. 4 l. 81
air just simply swarming with air
planes, and would much sooner have
determined the war. and would have
saved thousands of American lives.
Republicans Not Partisan
Now, Mr.. President, to show my
authority for this stat ement. you will
remember that the Military Affairs
Committee Investigated the aircraft
situation. | do not know why the
idea got abroad that that committee
was partisan. There were number
Of Republicans on it, but the majori-
ty were Democrats. The majority
could have watched and found out
at any time when Republican ad.
vantage was attempted to be taken
of a situation; but, Mr.. President.
so long as | was serving on that
committee, from the 4th of Dccem-
b er up through all OF that investiga-
ton, | never saw Republican at
any time indicate desire to take
partisan advantage of what was
transpiring. Every man was animat-
ed by the same desire, and
that desire was to assist those
in authority in preparing our
country to WIN this war. Criticisms
by all or by any Of us were made in
the utmost good faith. shall not
indulge in commenting on II any
further than to say that the Ameri-
can people were led to Believe that
the sending of airplanes over to
France was in quantities, when as
matter of fact. if General Pershing
.ells the truth, the first American
,quadron that went over the German
ront was on August 7, 1918
The evidence before the Military
Committee showed that these false
statements did great harm in Europe.
Dur Allies thought they could de
bend upon us for any number OF
planes, and so production fell Off.
while Germany, fearing the truth .
If these statements, stimulated pro-
luction of planes. The result was
Inevitable at the battle front. !
Now, with reference to training
,lanes furnished by France, the
senator from Massachusetts, (Mr
.odge) asked me about that really
10 not know how many we had, but
do know that Gen. SQuier, while
Ie was chief signal officer and in
barge of aviation as well, sent a
,reat many American boys over to
rance to BE- trained-1 do not know
ow many-2,0O0 it may be. Those
oys, or a large part of them. did not
ave any training. Many of them
ad to come back And we were
commissioning American boy here
n this side and sending them over
o outrank boys who had volunteer
d several months or n year before.
Mr.. New. Mr.. President
The Presiding Officer. Does the
enator from Oregon yield TO the
enator from Indiana
Mr. Chamberla n. Yes.
MIR. New. IN answer 10 inc queN-
ion put by the s Senator from Massa-
husetts (Mr. LODGE, | will say that
he only planes sent over by the
United States Government were
that are known as the d H-I. which
not a pursuit plane. No planes
,hich are known as pur suit planes
,cre sent bv the United States
government at any time.
Mr.. Chamberlain. ! am glad TO
ave the information which has
cen furnished me by the Senator
rom Ind ana ! do know. however.
hat many of those boys were sent
ack. later some steps had TO be
AIKEN to correct the inequality of
SO that those who had