The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-07
HOUSE FAILS ID
 REACH DECISION ON AR REPORTS
Democrats Picture Ameri- can Efforts as Success. Rank Failure, Declare
 Republicans
By Associated Press

Washington. March s.--After four hours discussion of American aviation efforts during the war. the house, sit ting as committee, reported today that it had come to no resolution on the conflicting reports or the spe cial Investigating committee, made after prolonged inquiry into the ar programme and it's results
 Even this announcement by the com mittee of the whole did not pass un challenged republicans and democrA's disagreeina as sharply as they nao during debate on the investigation committee reports. The disposition made. however, was true to the pro gramme of republican leaders. theis spokesman during the debate declared inc only purpose was to make known failure"
 Democratic speakers pictured Amer ican efforts as "a success that gave the allies predominance of the air. sucn ..mistakes' as were admitted by these speakers were said to be only expected in so novel and gigantic an enterprlse'
 Representatives Frear. Wisconsin, and Magee. New York. republicans of the investigation committee. led the attack on the war department ana aviation officials sharply arraighlns them for acts an dpolicies in regard to aviation during tho war. Repre- sentative Lea California, the demo cratic committeeman, captained the democratic defense, supported py fep- resentative Flood, democrat Nfrglhn. At the close of debate under the snecial order that made it possible the house automatically arose and Speaker Gillett. assuming the chair. was m formed by the temporary presiding or
 icer Representative Hicks, republican New York. that no decision had been made by the house Representatiye Garrett. Tennessee. democrat asked T this course ''was proper," since there was nothing before tn chouse' caliins for action'
 REPORT HELD PROPER
 Sneaker Gnlett asked Mir. Garrett to suggest better form and getting none held Mir. Hicks report was
 .proper." and the house adjourned.
 Ali inyestigations of the manage ment of Americas aircraft program during the war have revealed "inefh- ciency. responsibility and enormous waste of money" Representative Frear' republican.i Wisconsin, chairman Of the house committee that made the iatea' investigation. said.
 Those in charge of airplane produc- tion.5'' he declared, say they bougni 5000 planes from France and othat iconntries. but 1000 of these were on- solete. General Pershing. testified he could not get enough training planes n France. so thej explanation that We 1 reliea upon foreign gesser7naents shows we leaned on a broken reedT
 The only American ar-huiit machines 10 reach the front, he added, were no- torious death traps" He asserted that ] s50 Nnu coo was wasted on the pro- l auction of these De Haviland fours. which he added, were condemned by every witness before the committee
 "as not fit for fighting purposes i eTn spruce production. continued !, MT. Frear, .Secretary Baker ignored all the loggers and lumhermen on the l coast and selected Colonel Disque, q
 warden of the Michigan penitentiary and former captain in the army. who iknew nothing about numbering. Colo Incl Disuue tried to learn the business l and surrounded himself with 3oooo soldiers who were largely clerks law yers, doctors. farmed ont on cost plus contractors logging railroads in Wash ington and Oregon.
 IGNORANT OF NUMBERING -Four cost plus contractors were se- 1 lected by Disque to get out lumber and three of these who got s55, ,o0o, o0o l in contracts, lSbew nothing about lum- bering The ohly contractor with any Iexperience swore he had been inter- fered with by under officers sent him by Disque, so that three months were lost and 30.ooo,0o0 feet of logs pre- vented from reaching the market"
 Others in charge of the air pro- gramme including John D. Ryan. Colo reI Deeds and w c. Potter. were com l plained of by Mir. Frear for lack of ex-
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