Evening star., 1925-02-24
AIRCRAFT INQUIRY
TO REOPEN; FUNDS
FOUND AVAILABLE
ProberS Agree to Give All
Qualified Witnesses a
Chance to Testify.
WEEKS, SIMS AND FULLAM
MAY BE GIVEN HEARING
Open Sessions to Be Resumed
Thursday-Order of Call for
Officials in Dispute.

Adhering to the demands of some
of It's members and declaring il had
been misinformed as to the funds on
hand necessary to continue it's in
restigations, the House aircraft in
quiry committee today voted to re-
sumo open hearings Thursday morn
ing and, as expressed by some of the
committeeman, give everybody
chance to be heard that should be
heard.
There was not unanimous agree
ment on one point however-the
question of who should appear on the
stand Thursday morning. One group,
led by Representative Randolph Perkins,
Republican, New Jersey, the committee
examiner, declared it was the pur-
pose of the committee to extend a
blanket invitation to the War and
Navy Departments-a last CALI for
testimony, in effect. Another group,
led by Representative Aiming S.
Pran, Democrat, New York, declared
the committee would call Secretary
of War Weeks, Rear Admiral William
s. Sims, Rear Admiral Fullam, re-
tired, and others.
Funds Are Available
Representative PraI, at an execu-
tive meeting of the committee yes
terday, presented resolution calling
on the committee to resume its hear
ings. 1t was learned today that the
committee acted favorably on the
proposal, but withheld announce
, ment until it could be definitely as
certained that enough funds were in
the Treasury to print the additional
TnS Il 10 o.,s-
record up to March 4. This morning
another executive session was held
and the vote of yesterday was veri-
fed, only one member, Representative
Faust of Missouri, voting in the
negative.
The resolution by Representative
Prall was construed by him as mean
ing Secretary Weeks, and other wit
nesses previously agreed upon in
open session to appear would be
summoned, while Representative Per-
kins declared the resolution men
toned no names. He stated, how
ever, every committee member had
q voice in the proceedings of the
body, and that every person who was
qualified to testify would be called.
Representative Albert H. Vestal of
Indiana, Republican whip and
member of the committee, said while
It was not his definite understanding
that Secretary Weeks would be re-
quested to appear, he was confident
the cabinet officer would voluntarily
ask to be heard. Representative
Frank H. Reid of Illinois, Republican.
said the Prall resolution mentioned
no names, while the committee rec
ords show that certain witnesses
were desired to be present. He de-
clared the question was a matter of
opinion.
In addition to Secretary Weeks.
other persons whom the committee
had gone on record as desiring to
hear included Clifford A. Tinker, a
naval reserve officer. and Jean A.
Roche, an aerodynamic expert of Nc
Cook Field, Dayton. Ohio. The
former, in a magazine article, charged
Congress with selling the lives of the
"a officers and men on the dirigible
Roma at a cost of SAP a piece by
falling to safeguard the ship with
helium. The latter is the co-author
of a special technical report the COM
mittee had asked for and his exam
ination had not been completed.
PraII Offers Motion.
The first indication that the in
quiry might be resumed was given
in an announcement yesterday by
Representative Perkins that an ex-
ecutive meeting had been called, and
later it was learned that Representa-
tive Reid. Republican, Illinois, had
written Chairman Lampert asking
that the committee be called to re-
ceive certain evidence which / deem
is necessary to complete the record"
When the executive meeting was con-
Nened, Representative Pran, Demo-
crat, New York. offered a motion to
reopen hearings tomorrow.
Representative Reid's letter said:
Il believe that the Army and Navy
should be given opportunity to
submit any further evidence that
they think is necessary to fairly and
adequately present their views on any
matters that have arisen in the late
hearings before the committee. 1 also
believe that the opinion of Admiral
Sims and Admiral Fullam should be
before the committee and / desire
that the committee request the Navy
Department to furnish it with a copy
of Admiral Fullams main statement
and. supplementary statement to
the special board appointed by the
Navy Department to consider the
relative Importance of submarines
air forces and surface ships in modern
naval warfare and in naval defense"
Says Sims Available. S
L understand that Admiral Sims,
who was the commander of our Navy
in the late war, is available, and at
the next session of the committee 1
will move that subpoena be issued
for him to testify, so that the commit
tee will have before it the benefits of
his experience and an expression of
his Judgment
L believe" concluded the letter,
that the cost of taking this additional
testimony would be so small in pro-
portion to it's Importance that If
necessary, the members of the COM
mittee would each gladly pay his pro-
portionate share of this expense"
Representative Perkins reiterated
his stand made Saturday that the
shortage of funds and belief that the
record was complete caused the COM
mittee to decide on ending the hear
ings, a step which had been contem-
plated for more than a week At that
time the committee was led to believe
that about $500 was left. of the origi-
nal S25, 900 fund to conduct the inves-
tigation, but this later was found to
mean that the committee would have
500 left If 1t continued, its hearings
Of nr,f