Evening star., 1925-02-28

retary Weeks was asked If the Budget
Bureau had experts capable Of visualiz-
ing the needs OF the Air Service, and
Secretary Weeks replied:
The bureau has experts. but ii may
be controversial subject If they are equal
to the members in the different bureaus
or the Government. In Gen. Patrlck's
opinion, the Air Service estimates were
correct"
The War Secretary declared it was
his opinion that the Army did not
have enough airplanes. 81 approved
the Lassiter report which provided
a large building program for the Air
Service and we now are about to
realize some of its recommendations"
The Secretary defended the expert
mental program of the Army Air
Service, declaring that the airplane in
dustry is developing as rapidly as
the automobile industry did In de-
sign and construction. What Is new
and modern today will be old and OBJ
solete tomorrow, he said, and had a
large number of planes been con-
structed early in his administration
he would have been severely criticized
for building planes that are not up
to standard. The present pursuit ship.
he thought, would be a standard for
three or four years, and declaring that
Gen. Patrick was very optimistic
about this, nevertheless a new plane
might be developed tomorrow much
superior.
Weeks Denies Muzzling.
Secretary Weeks. IN a letter to
Representative Perkins, the commit
tee examiner, made public last night,
declared ANY statement that the Air
Service officers are muzzled is un
true" He also gave the committee
list of Army airplanes which was
furnished him by Maj. Gen. Mason NJ.
Patrick, chief OF the Army Air Serv-
ice.
Mr. Weeks. in his letter, quoted
the rule of the War Department re-
garding Army officers testifyilg be-
fore congressional committees. This
rule stated Officers are entirely free
to testify as to their opinions and
beliefs" and, the War Secretary con-
tinued, personal verbal instructions
were given to the chief Of Air Serv
ice by me in the Fall OF 1922, as fol-
lows:
Transmit to Gen. Mitchell and 70
the officers of the Air Service instruc-
tions to the following effect: Recog-
nizing the undetermined value of avi-
alton in warfare and wishing to OBJ
tain the judgment of anybody and
everybody whose judgment is entitled
to consideration, the best interest of
the Nation Will be served by encour-
aging officers in an unrestricted and
full discussion OF all points relating
20 aviation. In testifying before
congressional committees If their
views are contrary to the views of the
War Department they Will state to
the committee that they are not
speaking for the department, but are
expressing their own personal views
and should do so without reserva-
tion.
Statement Given to Ohicers.
THE chief of Air Service states
that he transmitted the foregoing In
structions. Any statement that the
Air Service officers are muzzled Is,
therefore. untrue"
The statement by Gen. Mitchell be-
fore the committee February that
his report on conditions in the Pacific
had been ignored by higher authority
in the department, Mr.. Weeks said,
Is not borne out by the facts. The
Secretary said the report was re-
ceiyed at the War Department "one
ane ne-hah hours after the state
ment was made to your committee
that 1t had been ignored Mr.. Weeks
said the report is dated October "a,
1924 was presented to the chief of
Air Service January 20. 1925, and the
latter was unable to examine 1t
owing to illness until February ?,
1925. After examination, continued
the Secretary's letter, the report was
forwarded by Gen. Patrick TO the
War Department.
"Of the s246, 100000 expended on the
Air Service by the War Department
since the war" continued the Secre-
tary's letter, S6s.000,000 represents
estimated value of issues from our
war surplus stocks; s24,0OO,oo0. or
approximately Il per cent, was ex-
pended for new aircraft; s76,0OO,O00
for the pay, housing and maintenance
of Air Service personnel, and S1S.OOO,-
600 for operation, maintenance, re-
search, experimentation and develop
ment of aircraft.
Every possible economy in the
operation was enforced and the
maximum sum which could be made
available was devoted to the purchase
of equipment.
Cites Patrick Report.
THE chief of the Air Service, Gen.
Patrick, reports that on September