The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-08-13
truth about
BURNED PLANES
Republican Charges Refuted and
Facts Made Public In Investi-
cation by House Committee.

6~SA4t5 49, S<NPShulluISS JHdI SbINlSS
able and valuable airplanes have
been wantonly destroyed by the
American Expeditionary Force i:
made in a statement by Col. M. M
Patrick, U. S. Engineers and late
Major General and Chief of Air Ser.
vice, A. E. F.
Statements that million dollars
worth" Of such planes were destroy
ed have been made before the sub
committee investigating war expen-
ditures overseas, of which Represent
tative Royal G. Johnson, Republican,
of South Dakota is chairman. At a
session of that committee, Gutzon
Borglum, the sculptor, who came to
public attention by his investigation
of aircraft production in America
which resulted in the investigation of
Judge Hughes, filed several photo
graphs of parts of planes purported
to have been burned. Contrary to
the opinion of experts in the army
air service, Mr.. Borglum made the
unqualified statement to the COM
mittee that is was impossible to tell
from the photographs whether a
plane or its parts were actually ser
viceable and safe for flyers.
Denying that single part of a
plane from which the Government
could derive penny of value either
by sale or use had ben destroyed
General Patrick prepared and filed
with Representative Flood, mem
Der of the johnson committee, a
statement in which he said.
"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-
ton of their disposition was given
full study. ,STJE1n
81 at once gave orders to 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
survey, each composed of officers of
ability, who were conscientious and
careful. There orders were to in
spect every plane in our possession
and to recommend to me what should
be done with each one"
General 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 in the
training schools and which were worn
out from wear and tear; others which
had deteriorgated in storage, planes
being very delicate and deterirogat-
ing very rapidly, and others which
were useable, but practically obso-
lete and which would have been dis
carded very soon even if the war had
gone on, for more modern machines
"After having examined each Of
these planes, General Patrick's
statement continues, "the Boards of
Survey arranged them in classes and
recommended, in general, that they
be offered for sale, and if unstable,
that they be salvaged., By 'salvaged
is meant the taking off of al valuable
parts, such as motors, tires, instru-
ments and the Ike, which can be
used to repair other planes, or which
have a money value. ~"
81 approved the recommendations
of these boards. l inquired of the
French Government and was told
that they would not purchase any of
this material. There was no market
for this material. 1t was, therefore.
salvaged as outlined above. Some of
the wooden fragments, which could
not be used by us nor sold, was de-
stroyed.
81 do not know of my knowledge
that single disable plane was des-
troyed* *but / 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 it would cost
to get it here.
"The matter of shipping any Of
this material to the United State.
was fully considered. l had estimates
made of the cost of storage, of pack.
ing and transportation and am
quite convinced, in the cases of all
,he planes which were salvaged, that
his would have been decided uneco.
lomical. 1855 L
"The savaging of this material was
part of the inevitable waste of war