Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-02-26
News Review of
Current Events
Congress Fairly Liberal in Ap-
prOpriatinOs for the Ma
tiOnal Defense
Especial to The Leader)

| I MISS congress changes its mind,
~ the army and navy, and especial
| ly the air services, are to be well pro
vided for in the appropriation meas
ures Last week the senate passed
the naval supply bill carrying in round
| figures 1927 100000 this total includ-
ing S26,000,00O for aircraft and naval
aviation. The same day the War de-
partment appropriation bill went
through the house. This measure car
ries $3.50, ,5OO,OOO Of which $15,256,OOO
is to be expended for aviation. Incl
dentally, this house bill provides for
lump sum appropriation Of S50,OOO,OO0
for rivers and harbors work
These two measures are intended to
carry the army and navy only
through the next fiscal year which be-
gins July l, but the house committee
on naval affairs recommended the
adoption Of a five-year naval aircraft
building program which calls for the
construction of 1000 new planes at
cost of $S5,OOO,OOO. Administration
leaders were confident this would be
passed during this session. Rear Ad
miral MOffatt's plan called for the ex-
penditure of $250,OOO,O00 In five
| years, bat the more conservative pro-
gram was all the committee cared to
recommend In view OF President
Cool dge's position on economy.
This committee proposes the con-
struction Of 235 airplanes at q cost of
| $12, ,28b, 900 In the fiscal year 1927 in
addition to 78 planes at a cost Of $3,-
| 100000 under other legislation. In
addition the committee proposes the
construction of two rigid airships
costing $8O0O,OOO to be begun prior
to July /, 1927, and an experimental
metal-clad airship costing $3O0,0OO
The pending naval appropriation
bill contemplates the expenditure of
not more than 100000 on new air
craft in the fiscal year 1927. Under
the program recommended the re-
quirement for 1927 would be between
100000 and $20,OOOOOO Repre-
sentative French, In charge Of naval
appropriations, said that the addition
al amount of from 100000 to $11,-
OOO, 900 would not be appropriated for
1927 unless the budget bureau should
recommend it. This puts the realiza-
tion of the naval aircraft construction
program up to the Executive.
INSPECTOR GENERAL HELM
l. LICKS investigation, ordered by
Secretary of War Davis, disclosed
that two officers of the army air serv-
ice had been guilty Of Objectionable
activities In attempting to influence
air service legislation" Maj. Henry
81. Arnold, information officer in the
office of Major General Patrick, chief
of the air service, was declared the
more culpable and in addition to being
reprimanded he will be transferred by
General Patrick to a station less
pleasant than Washington. Maj Her
bert A. Dargue, chief of the war plans
division of the service, escapes with
q reprimand. The severer discipline
Is imposed on Major Arnold because
he has been long conspicuous In the
propaganda for separate air service.
He Is described by many officers as
having been "the eyes of Colonel
Mitchell In the air service during
the months which intervened between
Mitchsll's removal from the post of |
assistan! chief Of air service and the
close of his court-martial.
The intimations that the inquiry
would involve General Patrick were |
shown to be unfounded when he was
permitted to assist In 1t and to an
nouncs its findings.
TWO Of the army's most eminent |
l. aviators, both Of them members Of |
the roundthe-wOrld flight, have an
nounced that they are about to resign |
from the army in order to attempt to |
fly over the North pole this summer
They are Lieut.. Leigh Wade and Lieut.
g. n. Ogden, and they will be first
and second In command Of the expe
dition, respectively They and thet
associates are backed by groun
alumni of several big universities,
and will use five Douglas planes
equipped with 220 horsepower motors
They plan to start from Seattle June
8 and to establish their main base at
Point Barrow.
Alan Gotham, British aviator, has
just accomplished the feat Of flying
from London to Cape Town, South
Africa, being the first to do this In
one plane. Starting November 16. he
passed In his route over the deserts
of Egypt, the swamps and forests of
central Africa and the great karoo of
South Africa Much Of the way he
had to fly at very great elevation.