New-York tribune., 1919-08-05
New York Man Asserts At.
tempt to Hold Congress
Responsible Is Another
Press Agent Campaign
Non.Fliers Given Places
Eyerv One, From Baker
Down, Ignorant of Act
ral Conditions, He Says

representative Fiorella H. La
ssardia. who left his work in the
gonse to enter the air service ana
xbo as a major won many decorations
/. Italy, declared yesterday that the
amy air service and not Congress
sss responsible for the present sit
u.ticn in aeronautics. He declared
,muhatically that the air service was
,bsolutely ignorant of the equipment
ander its control. Said he:
n. seems that certain people in
,sarge Of the air service still believe
,he service can be developed through
,ae press The old game of the Lib
,ry motor being conceived in twenty
rjns hours and being q standard motor
for all planes and constructed by the
thousands, and planes darkening the
dies over Berlin-this sort of twadd!e
hat deceived the American people
vhile nearly billion dollars was
,ousndered and thieving scoundrels,
ike vultures, were doing their Bit is
pis ,Es'' -. ~ '|- '0~" p@'-
Funds Declared Ample
q have read the article contained in
this mornings Tribune very carefully
and can only repeat what l said on the
soor Of the House the other day: that
congress appropriated for the air SER
nee $4,000, 900, and if this money is
spent judlciously for the DEVELOPMENT
d the air service and for the encour-
igement of American aeronautical in
iustres 1t cannot possibly be expended
during the present fiscal year.
ave appropriated S25O0O 600 for the
nsvy and likewise the navy will not be
sble to expend all this money during
/ the present fiscal year. The navy
came in with a businesslike, logical,
reasonable budget, stating specifically
how the money was to be spent, and
I've cheerfully gave It to the navy.
Talk about the realm of dreamsl Why,
General Menoher was unable to state
any definite policy when he appeared
before the Committee on Military At
fairs at the hearings on appropriations.
ever since l got out of the army
and back to Congress | have been en-
deavor;ng to obtain intelligent infor-
nation as to what the air service has
ION hand. have pleaded, l have beg
ged, | have threatened, and up to
date there isn't man from the Secre-
tary OF War down who is able to tell
what the air service has, where it is.
how many motors are used, how many
planes have crashed. how many are
new how many are available. or how
many are fit for actual service And
ttneo 1c, - -
resort TO the old dreams of the Liberty
motor days by charging Congress with
cutting down appropriations in order
Ito hide their own miserable incom-
petence.
Inventory Demanded
I'm order 20 obtain a commercial
Inventory was compelled to introduce
IL resolution, which passed the House
hst Friday on strict party vote-my
Democratic friends assuring me that it
|vas necessary and timely, but voting
igainst it on party principles-to OBJ
Tain the information above indicated.
This has been signed by the Speaker
and goes to the Secretary of War, so
that now for the first time since ap-
|ropriating the S640,00OO0O we will
know just what we have on hand. This
Will be OF great assistance to the sub
committee of the select committee on
expenditures under the War Depart
ment; it will be of great assistance to
the sales department of surplus sup
plies and when we have intelligent men
at the head of the air service it will
be Of great assistance to them.
The question of personnel is due
entirely to the arbitrary ratio of men
allowed to the air service by the Gem
eral Staff. Even the other day when the
General Staff asked for a temporary
increase of officers for the coming year
Ihey were unable to tell us how many
men would be assigned to the air SER
wee. | succeeded in the committee,