Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-07
AVIATION PROBE IS
WITHOUT RESULT
House Sitting as Committee Re-
ports 1t Had Come to No
Resolution"
REPUBLICANS CHARGE WASTE
While Democrats Declare That
Americas Efforts Gave Allies
Predominance in Clouds.
REPUBLICANS CHARGE WASTE

WASHINGTON, March G.-Aftcr four
hours discussion Of American avia-
ton efforts during the war the House
sitting as 4 committee, reported today
TO the whole House that il had come
To no resolution" on the conflicting re-
! ports Of the special Investigating com
tn!ttec. made after prolonged inquiry
INTO tho air program and it's results
Even this announcement by the com
mittee of tho whole did not pass un-
challenged, Republicans and Demo-
Gratis disagreeing sharply as they
had during debate on the investiga-
ton committee reports. The disposi-
'ion made. however. was true to the
program OF Republican leaders Their
spokesman during the debate declared
! the only purpose was to make known
the facts OF the wartime aviation
failure"
Democratic speakers pictured Amer
lean efforts as a success" that gave
the allies predomiuance of the air
Such mistakes" as are admitted by
these speakers were said to be only
what were to be expected in SO novel
and Gigantic an enterprise.
Mnsec Makes Radical Statement.
Representative Magee. Republican.
New York. member OF the investignt-
ing committee. told the House that not
one American built battleplane or pure
~ bombing plane was produced during
ne war from rho expenditure OF more
than sl,ooeo,o0o.ooo for aircraft.
the only he me sa,d tSs
american air service in the United
duction in the Pacific Northwest was
made by Mr. Magce, who argued that
II experienced lumbermen of that To-
calty had been crgan.zcd. ali the lum-
Der needed would have been prolucnd
at n oderotc cost"
The. employment OF $4,000 soldiers.
tions was also attacked by Mr. Nagee.
who a., ,erte the payment 10 them of
v WaSes of 81 TO- IS day ~as in defiant
John D. Ryan. director Of aircraft
production. he SAID: heartily approved
or these payments"
Says Inefnciency shown.
An Investigations OF tho manage
:nent OF Americas aircraft program
during the war have revealed "tneffi-
sensy' irresponsihility and enormous
man OF the House COMMITTEES that made
the latest investigation.
wasted on the production Of De Hsvi-
iand Tours. which. he added, were con-
deInned by e.ery Witness before the
poses
NJ, Mr. ssear. Secretary Baker ignored all
the loggers and lumbermcn on the coast
and selected Colonel Disque q warden
OF or the e, Miehignn nenitentiary. and for
nothing OF numbering.
-Four cost plus contractors were Sc
,eGted by R!sone to get out lumber. and
contracts knew nothing about lumber.
ing"
:. Representative Flood. Democrat.
the committee. defended John D. Ry.
an activities in the production OF
spruce nn Ga as ;Sn the entire investiga
forts 10 bring strong mep into i'll re-
pute.
Len Attacks Critics.
Representative Lea asserted that the
criticisms made by Republican COM
mittce were absurd contentious ana
E ;nrnsaess conSu,nsonsn Answering
as to tho net results of American eff
forts on aviation during the war, he
declared that the Republican members
statement OF planes sent to the front
was but fraction OF tho truth.
=, The ?lS machines at the front de-
resent the american production," de- de-
clared Mr.. Lea. represent only one
seventy, ninth part Of tho number of
the war.
America had 21S American built
planes on the front the day Of the
SIS American-built planes available at
the front on that day. She had 1920
service planes available for use at the
front when the armistice was signed
-Four hundred and seventeen Ams=i-
an-built planes went over tho German
battle lines
This is the first investigation that
found nothing but faults" continued
Mr.. Lea. referring TO various inquiries
into the aircraft program conducted
during and since the war. The Ameri-
can aircraft effort made possible the
maintenance OF allied aircraft at the
front. and finally led to allied FREEDOM
lncncc by over 100 per cent"
Mr.. Lea declared that tho allies who
paid two-thirds of the airplane lum-
Der bill. commended abe American
production in complimentary terms"
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