New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-12
Air Service in
War; Cost L. s.
$598,O90,781
Major Lester D. Gardner
Says Figures Collected
by Him Refute Charge
of Billion in Waste
S582,564,78 1 Returned
Brands Critics of the
Efforts of Department
s'Disloyal or Misguidcd'

The aeronautical efforts of the
United States during the war cost the
country S59s,090,7s1, according to a
research conducted by Major Lester
D. Gardner, publisher of The Aviation
and Aircraft Journal, the results
of which are set forth in the current
issue of that magazine.
The report shows that besides the
result actually accomp ished during
the war the country still has the fol-
lowing assets from the expenditure;
10000 Liberty sirplane motors, each
valued at $4,000 twelve flying fields
with all mcdaniel equipment; vari-
Gus aircraft and sircraft materials
and 10000 aviators fully trained.
The article declares that the figures
refute the claims made by critics that
The service cost the country more than
a billion dollars without accom- plish-
ing anything.
S5s2,564.7st Returned
In letter to Major Gardner, Major
II. NJ Hickam, chief of the Informal
Iion Group of the United States Army
AIT Service, says that after two years
of settling claims, adjusting cance ed
contracts and liquidation, the Air Ser
vice has returned to the United States
Treasury 1852, 564,7Sl of the appropria-
lions made for 1t by Congress-
The actual amounts appropriated
tor the Army Air Service during the
var" the article in Aviation reads,
aggregated Sl.6S7 ,054,75S. From this
total there were revoked by Congress
sums aggregating $4S7 000,O 900, making
the net amount available for expcndi-
lure by the War Department $1,000
054,75S
Until now the charge has been made
and the pubic mas been led to believe
mat most of this money was spent and
largely wasted. The amount actually
expended from the money appropriated
Tor the War Department for the air
service, IN this country and abroad dur
ing the war, was $6l7,489, 977. From
TINS has been deducted $l9.399.l96
realized by sales of surplus material.
ana there we're ARP planes produced
and delivered to the government de-
spite the canard that the United
States got nothing for its money!
planes in the United States was Sll3.-
O43, or 1S1s per cent Of the total
AR service expenditures. For that
money the government received 1884
American built airplanes. The gov
eminent spent s139 100000 abroad for
training and the purchase of air
planes, engines, construction of can
'OHiH SHeS ana production centerS. and
received. among other things. 5,l9S
complete airplanes, making total of
1902 airplanes produced for the
United States. There were also de-
livered to the air service 41.953 aero
nautical engines and spare parts"
Vindication Claimed
In a statement. issued with the ad
Nance proof of the article, Major
Gardner says:
Il was a major in the Air Service
and have made it my job to get at
the truth about my branch OF the
aervice: The truth upsets the aircraft
scandal 1t brands as dsloyal, or
misguided. those who endeavored to
perpetuate false accusation. 1t en-
ables the Air Service to assume its
liehtful position and the return to the
United States Treasury of practically
one-haf OF the entire net appropria-
ZION availab'e makes it unique in the
history of war"