South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-18
AIRPLANE BUBBLE
EXPLODES AGAIN
Story of Wanton Destruction
Of Valuable Craft JOited by
Chief OF Service.
BY JOHN J. CARSON.

INVESTIGATING war expenditures that I
seTviceab BILE and valuable airplanes /
have been wantonly destroyed by the /
American expeditionary force is
made in a statement by Col. ". NJ. /.
Patrick. 4. S. engineers and late /
major general and chief Of air ser
see. A. T. +.
Statements that a million dollars
worth" Of such planes We're destroy
Cd have been made before the sub
committee investigating war expend- I
lures overseas. OF which Rep. Royal
c. Johnson. republican. OF South
Dakota is chairman. At this morn
ings session OF that committee,
Gutzon Borglum. the sculptor who
came 10 public attention by his So
called investigation Of aircraft pro-
Guction in America which resulted
in the investigation by Judge Hugh
es filed several photograph OF
parts OF planes purported 10 have
been burned Contrary 70 the opin-
ion OF experts In the army air ser
vice. Mr. BOrglum made the unqua-
lifed statement 10 the committee
that IL was impossible 20 tell from
its parts were actually serviceable
and safe for flyers.
Denying that single part Of a
plane from which the government
could derive a penny of value either
by sale or use had been destroyed
Gen. Patrick prepared and fled
with Rep. Flood. "a member OF the
Johnson committee. "a statement in
which ne said
Appointed Survey Board.
When hostilities ceased. there
were in possession Of the American
air service planes Of varying types
and all stages Of repair from new
and unused planes TO those which
were complete wrecks. The ques-
zion OF their disposition was given
careful study.
1T at once gave orders 10 return
TO the United States all DH-4 planes
and all Liberty engines which were
serviceable.
About the disposition OF the re-
mainder I appointed boards OF sur
vey. each composed OF officers OF
ability. who were conscientious and
careful. Their orders were 10 in
spect every plane in our possession
and 10 recommend to me what
should be done with each one"
Gen. Patrick's statement then
shows that the plane and material
fell into four classes. Those which
had been crashed. most of them in
training service or in battle, and
were beyond repair; those used at
the training schools and which were
worn out from wear and tear; 9th
ers which had deteriorated in stor-
age. planes being very delicate and
deteriorating very rapidly and 9TH
ers which were useable. but practi-
cally obsolete and which would have
been discarded very soon even IL the
war had gone on for more modern
machines
After having examined each of
these planes" Gen Patricks state
ment continues. the boards OF sur
vey arranged them in classes and re-
commended. in general. that they be
offered for sale. and If unsalea BILE.
that they be salvaged, by "salvaged'
is meant the taking off OF all the
valuable parts. such as motors. tires
instruments and the like. which can
be used 70 repair others planes, or
which have a money value
Il approved the recommendations
OF these boards 1 inquired Of the
French government and was told
that they would not purchase any
OF this material There was no mar
ket for this material. II was. there
fore. salvaged as outlined above
Some OF the wooden fragments were
sold and the remainder. which could
not be used by us nor sold. was de-
stroyed
shipping Was Expensive.
Il do not know Of my own know
ledge that single useable plane was
destroyed-but I am well satisfied
that no plane was destroyed which
could be disposed Of in France. or
which would have brought as much
money IN the United states as II
would cost to get 10 here
The matter OF shipping any OF
this material 20 the United States
was fully considered. had esti-
mates made OF the cost Of storage.
OF packing and of transportation and
OF all the planes which were salyag-
ed. that this would havN been de-
cidediy unecOnOmical.
The salvage OF this material was
cart OF the inevitable waste OF war
but the American air service in
France did everything possible 10 re-
duce this waste 10 the minimum II
IS apparent that II was necessary 20
decide whether IL would pay 20 ship
material TO the United States. and
after careful study and in the exer-
else OF the best judgment. il was de-
cided that this would be a further
waste Of government money. Atten-
ton may be called 20 the fact that
the packing OF a single DH-4 plane
In the United States for shipment "a
France cost IN round mum bers about