Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-17
.fl . u = =
SPENT billion; 740
PLANES AT Front
Republican Members Of Investi~
eating Subcommittee caustic
in Criticism.
DEMOCRAT MAKES DEFENSE
Representative Lea Charges Ma
jority Report Is Biased
and Vituperative.
1av Assnniataa.proa.t A Z. {

diiu SltupSIdtlVe.
Thy Associated Prcss I /. II .i.i & 4
w,AsHISGToN, FEB, is.-Reports on,
aircraft production program were pre-
snnted today In the House from the
sneeial committee inqulring into war
Representatives. Ftear and aIasee.
the two Republicans of the subcom-
ton. characterizeds the aviation pro
waste. and Represeatative ai Lea. eao' the 81
tee, declared in his report that the
fnsPsoiiean fac3s fos members had. SACRIFICED
to discrcdit the government. - 80 - -
words. They differ entirely in s the he
American airplanes- abroad and in the
performance OF the aircraft prodlic-
tion generally. 81. ~, $50
Discuss Ryan's Work.
,A prominent part OF both reports ia
given to the controversy over the con ,a
ncction OF John D. Ryan. former di-s
construction Of opni sovepnm @,tn snt rbniIt shs
redoundsd re to the benefit Of the Chi,
which Mr.. Ryan IS O director (, 3 s, 4. Il
termi1s pfiGiaming naf;v.s any attempts to de-
on that point says: sssS ! -
IF AIR. Ryan's statement OF disinter.
estedness IS true, no has been most
ter that in the Judgment of your sconl &.
mittee covered a fiinsys effort TO EproS5s'
Iagss epIgass
asasr is hasfss essl spsssasss! lsasas 3 sessa
ssn fEsas rs i s
The evtdenoss shows that Mr.. Ry5 q,
praetieallY abalioHed his own Sasi. M
nsaS aairs and ssyotsS
duties Without. directiy C eharsinp S G,seshs s;i
nc report OF the. majority Sinainuates
aircraft to cause selection OF the I1aiS,Ss -
crescent route. for the beneit Of the.
NIL Milwauaee aux, railroad The purpeses to
an ant. GO eonneeting n with the Niilwaukee
ser,,, aT,ns fnn point on Its line. was der
Ryan was connected with the fniScrsft
service: The Lake Crescent route was
selected sf,,M,se over the opposition 7of the
decision was made The tSIfiWauSseeee see
eSntendsd CO |. de! for the. surveyed extensien
ierests oT far fGu.a whttsa serxed its In
route. The Lake Crescent WAS dis.
tlnGtsvely the best route the govern. .
n,,rnosa y nave selecteu to serve it's
"temarkabie Chain Of Circumstupces...
Ihe majority report. however, char,
able chain OF circumstances" and adds
that under tho surface .'the stake heinz
played Tor in the abortive uttempt re
and Oregon was for control Of the lun .
per interests inSrthe Northwest after
the war. The majority report payss.ts 5
patriotic logSers and lumberinen," who,
It says. rendered great public SER
V'is. Sss ,da IN orntns'ng rims the matter to light
port attacks his assistant William, u
Potter. Colonel Edward A. Deeds. who
Pres preceded .sx Mr., Ryan in, aircraft prodMe-
sible head OF the aircraft productiout
IAN appalllng record Of ofders ami
cunterorelers ignorance and chickering's.
waste and eXtravagance, evidence ot
se!r ~, hterest ana Improper nractices.''a
,t,aas tt Is $ not the province OF this corr
declare the measure Of responsibility ef
any official. but We would he derelict
Wbst IN eur we duty bsi,eY.s u we failed present
Americas aviation failure and result.
ing lack OF confidence in any my nresent
War department aviation plan.' 80
Much Waste Is Charged.
In detail. the majority report takes.
up the alleged waste and cXtravaganGc9
alleged failure OF De HnViiand, ion pianss, ss:s
alleged failure to get sufficicnt Ameri,5
can planes to the battle front. the
west, millions of alleged wastes On
st-plus contra cts, and many specitic
charges of .inehiciency and squander.s
| In return. Representative af. Lees mr.
noritY report replies TO the majority
fndings as "intemperate. biased and
,Hls15e[ai,Ee ,naa5 "a an sSaggssatioIt Of nl.
! 2 "gratuitous reflection upon mon wis
faithfully served the government dur
Ing the war" and q repetition OF de-;
tained by evidence 'll 6 s :
Proportion of Loss No Heavier.
answering the charge of the majoy-
ity report thatSoiily 21j pla1, es had hnen
shipped to tho front up TO tho armistice
| and that those we've De Havilands s, dan, 4
gerous and known as flying coffins."theg
minority report quate9 BriSadier
! struction and forestry operations OF the
American expeditionary forces. as say
ing that no larger percentage OF De
other types. MIR. Lea asserted that only
thirty-three De Haviiands out OF 417
sent. over enemy lines were lost Tho
tors would have bsenz killed except FOR Is
the failure OF General Pershing to
receive more. than 3ls De HaVilaiIds.,'
Sending American aviators to- tie
said, WAS more wasteful of human iIfe
than tan %eauinping shook troops with
ss n9es the tasnss
1900 planes during tho war. and thess +
were practically the same as masaines
used by tho allies. {, =, rs
Holds Bsi<er Re~Honsihic.
,orsg Tagenins 4.pert on sat asssly
or Or. failure {, i!i o risa, airssa
es aasr .s var fsssF ss nee ssss
propestis eossaus srisIiisaiiys ! sfss y yssssss
600, and thsS ssttieuae ant yss yyittlss I. \