Evening star., 1925-10-13
PATRICK DENIES
MADDEN CHARGE
OF WASTE IN AIR
Experimental Work Showed
What Could Be Done in
Future, He Says.
DENIES RESPONSIBILITY
FOR 262 PLANES LOSS
Did Not Intend to Indicate Serv-
ice Was Starved" in Previous
Appearance. He Asserts.


The attack leveled against Air Serv-
ice ma ma cement and expenditures yes
terday by Chairman Madden of the
House appropriations committee be-
fore the Presidents Air Board WAS
answered today by Maj. Gen Ma
NJ. Patrick. chief of the Army Air
Service, who. as the first witness he
fore the board. denied there was "critn'
inal waste" in his service and dis
agreed with several of Mr. Madden's
suggestions for improvement.
Postma ster General New followed
Gen. Patrick on the stand. and re-
iterated that a definite, continuing ma
tional program was the first need for
aviation in the United States. CONNER
cial flying, he said, was the corner
stone Of the whole structure. He advo-
Gated a bureau of civil aeronautics in
the Department OF Commerce.
The purpose of Gen. Patrick's ap-
peara nee before the board was 10
Ella borate on his plan for separate
air corps in the Army. which he pre-
sented TO the board shortly after its
orga MIA ton. Before taking up the
corps plan. however. Cen Patrick said
he wished to make brief comment on
statements that have been made before
the investigators.
Praises Department Heads.
Secretary Weeks and Secretary
Davis. he said. have been very willing
to listen to any. recommendations he
or his Office proposed. Gen. Patrick
said. Secretary Weeks told me to
come to him any time, and ] did fire.
quently. On one occasion he agreed
with me entirely that the question of
coast defense is a function of the
Army Air Service.
Il have had no intention of indicat-
ing that the Air Service is starved.
The War Department has been as
generous a $ it could to the Air Service
as now constituted. which is too small
| in numbers and TOO little in equip
| ment. There has been no effort to pro
| vide any enlargement and no effort
10 correct manifest injustices under
which the Air Service labors."
UpholBs Experimental Work.
| Referring from time 10 time to 4
| clipping from yesterdays Star of Mr..
Madden's testimony. Gen. Patrick said
| he never reflected upon Congress. or
| charged it had starved" the Air Serv-
ice. 1t has appropriated every dollar
that he asked for. he said.
Mr.. Madden thinks that our ex-
. perimental work is not worth while"
said Gen. Patrick. That's a matter
of opinion. | balance against this
the statement of Mr.. Orville Wright.
: the pioneer airman. He said the eX
perimental work was the most valu
able contribution to aeronautics. OF
course. the experimental work shows
1 Z HI hot hA
That is not money wasted. In the
last three years. Mr.. Wright said. we
have gained more knowledge than the
entire time since he first flew.
II disagree with Mr.. Madden that
experimental aircraft work he turned
! over to private agencies. You could
! not control it. 1t would be scattered
! hither and yon. For example. we
know very little about propellers. |
now am installing equipment that will
cost 100000 before single propeller
| is whirled. No private concern could
/ undertake this expenditure at the cost
: to the Government"
! Chairman Madden yesterday made
! unsympa thetic reference to the Army
purcha Sc of 26o pursuit planes, which
! he said the pilots couldn't see out Of:
! He made the charge of criminal
waste" with this transaction in mind.
| Gen. Patrick said the story behind
| those planes was that they were pur-
| chased by his predecessor, Maj. Gen.
| Menoher. on strong recommendation
! OF the assistant chief. Gen. Mitchell"
! At that time. Gen. Patrick said. the
! Army had no pursuit planes what
ever, and they were the best designed
! and equal to types being ordered by
! other nations. OF the original order
lG2 are left and are in the second line
, the witness said.
! Defends Transaction.
Senator Binsham asked Gen. Pat
: rick if Mr.. Madden was not pretty
/ hard on Gen. Mitchell when he
! charged criminal waste"
Il don't think So" replied Gen Pat
| rick because the order was given by
! Gen. Menoher. They did the best
they could at that time. They bought
! as good pursuit plane as there was"
Gen. Patrick said Mr.. Madden's
| plan for an Air service which was out
! lined yesterday lis aiming at the same
! ideal that l am. He wants an air
! force to be united air force and pro-
vide the aeronautic needs of the Army
, and Navy. The time is not quite ripe
| Vet. but if it were | would heartily in
/ dorse 1t.
Mr.. Maddens plan would cost the
Government ss7.000,000 annually,
while my air corps would cost $685.
| 600, 900 annually"
! Compares Others Forces.
! Gen. Patrick gave the board for the
| first time an Illuminating statement
of the air power of other countries
| He said that France has 36 900 ON
GERS and men in its air service: Eng
land. $4,000: Italy. 11.oo0: Japan.
! Continued on Page 4. Column ~