Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-26
AIRCRAFT PROBERS
REPEAT CALL FOR
WEEKSASW WITNESS
PraII Insists Secretary Ex-
plain Testimony Difference
With MitcheIPs.
ADMIRAL HOLDS HONOR
OF NAVY MEN SMlRCHED
Jones, en- Stand, Denies Service
Afraid of Bombs Effect
on Vessels.

The House, aircraft investigating g
committee announced at the conclu-
sion of it's morning session today
that Secretary of War Weeks would
he called before it Saturday morning.
The action was taken on the in
sistence of Representative Prall,
Democrat. of New York. who has de-
termined that the committee should
stand by its original intent to have
the Secretary personally appear and
tell of the condition of the air force
few days before the committee
announced it would conclude its hear
ings motion was made and adopted
that Mr.. Weeks should explain a news
release of the War Department that
America has 1900 planes ready for
service in war time. Brig. Gen
William Mitchell, assistant chief of
the Army Air Service, had testified
that only 19 Army planes were
capable of meeting modernly
equipped enemy.
When the committee announced on
Saturday that it would conclude it's
hearings it was stated Secretary
Weeks had submitted a statement on
the ZOO planes air force which was
satisfactory. Voting to resume its
hearings, Representative Prall took
the stand that the Secretary of War
should come before the committee as
originally intended.
Admiral Is Heard
The good faith. honor and integrity
of the naval officers, boards and agen-
cies have been impugned time and
again in the press since the sinking
of the OstSfrieSland, on the question
of bombs sinking battleships. Rear
Admiral Hilary P. Jones' chairman of
the executive committee of the Navy
General Board, declared before the
committee today. Admiral Jones was
called to give a supplemental expiana-
ton of the report of the special board
made public several days ago on the
Naiue OF aircraft, submarines and SUR
lace ships in the Navy.
Admiral Jones declaration was made
in reply to a question by Representa-
tive OSullivan of New York who
asked. Was the Navy afraid a-bomb
would sink the Washington?"
Denies Navy "Afrafd.-
Absolutely not" declared Admiral
Jones. Mr.. O'Sullivan's question fol-
lowed the statement by Admiral Jones
that gunfire was employed against
the ship before it went down, al
though, he said, all the methods of
attacks against the ship were respon-
sible for it's sinking.
Admiral Jones declared I'VE are the
first ones who ought to know if these
things Will put US out of business" In
further answer to Representative
O'Sullivan's question, which tempo
rarily angered the officer, he declared.
In the interest of national defense
and our country" he continued I'VE
would not be blind to any new weapon
of warfare"
A discussion of many minutes took
place between Representative Prall
of New York, Admiral Jones, Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy Robinson
and Capt. A. w. Johnson, assistant
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics,
the latter two spectators at the hear
ing, over the matter of appropriations
for naval aviation. Through ques-
tioning, Representative Prall obtained
figures which he declared showed that
the recommendations for naval avia-
tion were one-tenth of the entire
naval department budget request,
and that when an order was given
by the Budget Bureau to cut down,
the Bureau of Aeronautics estimate
was trimmed one-third.
Sees Worth Minimixed
This would appear they don't think
much of aviation in the Navy" de-
clared Representative Prall Final
figures were obtained from hearings
on the naval appropriations bill and
these showed the original request of
the Bureau of Aeronautics were $32,-
100000. When finally sent to Con-
Eress the bureau was allotted $l6,-
100000 with a 100000 construction
program authorization. When these
official figures were presented Repre-
sentative Prall declared they verified
his original statement that one of
the most important arms in the Navy
received the severest blow in the
revised estimates.
Admiral Jones, in answer to a ques-
tion by Representative Prall, declared
the effect of a 2,000-pound bomb
dropped on the deck of a capital ship
would be local destructive to ex-
posed personnel and possibly fire con-
troll installation. He said no serious
effect on the motive power or the
turrets would result If the bomb
were so feet away from the side of
the ship, Admiral Jones thought, no
damage would result, but if within
10 feet and deep enough it would have
a mine effect.
Cites Effect of Test.
hS "IlutSS lSSllll6u lnaC DuDltC
references had been made to static
explosions around the Washington.
He did not know what was meant by
that term, he said, but explained to
the committee that 1000 explosive
charges were placed around the ship
and when exploded they had the same
effect as bombs dropped by airplanes.
Only two bombs were actually
dropped from the air, he said, one of
them making a direct hit on the
deck. This bomb was I4-inch armor-
piercing she'll built up like a bomb.
but contained no explosives 1t was
dropped to ascertain its armor-pierc-
ing ability, but Admiral Jones said it
did not go through the deck
The officers who stayed aboard the
Washington during the explosion of
some of the charges were in no dam
ger whatever, the admiral explained,
and we thought nothing of it, but
the newspapers did" he said
Admiral Jones gave testimony based
on what he considered good authority
that was in effect a refutation of
statements made before the COM
mittee by Brig. Gen. Mitchell, as
sistant chief of the Army Air Serl--
ice. on the possibility of mastering
an air force on short notice.
Within six months. Admiral Jones