Evening star., 1934-03-16
L|NDBERGH RAPS
A|RMA|L POLICY
Tells Senate Group Trials
for Contractors Should
Have Been Ordered.

IContinued From First Fage.)
hands with committee members,
smiling.
Told to give his views in his own
way, the aviator explained that he
brought no prepared statement.
McKellar remarked that invalida-
ton of the contracts was a fact, and
said the present question was to sub
stitute for them.
Senator Barbour, Republican, Of
New Jersey, brought up that section
Of the bill prohibiting contractors
whose contracts we're annulled from
bidding on new contracts unless they
waived any claims against the Gov
ernr1ent.
Terms Clause Unjust.
Iindbergh called that clause the
most unjust section ever placed into
American legislation"
That point was dropped for the
time, the flyer telling that his serv-
ices with aviation concerns dealt
mostly with technical details"
As to the bill, again he expressed
the view that the section with regard
TO pay would "linit the size Of planes
carrying the mall
"I feel it Is to the best interests
of American aviation" he said, TO
encourage the use Of large planes
when the traffic calls for It,.
Mcclellan said the legislation as ne
read It was not intended to limit the
size Of planes.
But Senator Logan said the Ian
guage with regard to pay might limit
the size.
"1 don't know about that" Lind
bergh replied, Il repeat it is not to
the best advantage of aviation to
limit the size of planes"
Lindbergh, questioned by McKellar
as to his financial connections with
air companies, said he received $4,000
wear from Transcontinental q
Western Air up to the first OF this
month and 10000 q year from Pan
American Always.
Barbour suggested Lindbergh could
have received much more in other
fields, because of his ability and popu-
larity.
More Interested In Aviation.
ct felt more interested in aviation" F"
the colonel replied promptly.
McKellar asked the extent OF MS
holdings of stock, Lindbergh said he
didn't recall, but they were all listed
In replies to QUESTIONABLE from the
Black Committee.
he
thing about the events leading up to
the cancellation of the contracts.
Every little" he said.
did you attend any meetings."
mo, sir"
"That was our understanding. Now
If these contracts were honest, you are
for them and if they are not you
would not condone them?"
II feel" Lindy said, these COM
panies have the right to trial before
being convicted Of guilt which is only
implied and not proven"
"Of course" Lindbergh told the
chairman, II wouldn't approve any,
thing illegal. I'm simply giving you
my views on this situation" r.
"And what you say Is to your
credit" McKellar replied.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, OF
Wyoming, put in:
IF you had contract with an in
dividual and discovered ii was fraud
ulently obtained. you would think it
was right to cancel wouldn't you?"
Nothing Has Been Proven.
"I don't know" the flyer replied
or
has been proved in this case and that
nothing has been submitted for trial
So far as I can see, nothing has been
clearly proved"
mo criminal action has been taken
in the airmail case," O'Mahoney said.
II think you are confusing criminal
and civil actions"
''I am not a lawyer" Lindbergh an =
swered.
II think the right to trial is so OBJ
Nous that it is not a legal question"
Barbour broke in to say he didn't
think Lindbergh had confused any
thing" Senator Davis, Republican,
OF Pennsylvania agreed.
Lindbergh said the Army Air Corps
was mot designed" for meeting such
emergencies as carriage of the mail
and had not had adequate time to
study the routes"
How long does 1t take to train
military pilot and a commercial
pilot?" Senator Hayden, Democrat, Of
Arizona, asked.
THAT is difficult to say" Lind
bergh replied. "a man can learn
to fly with reasonable safety In a
week or two as a student, while 1t
would take years to fly passengers and
mail with q reasonable degree of
safety"
Asset for Military Purposes.
He regarded commercial aviation
as one Of the greatest reserves We
have" for military purposes.
1.-THE commercial pilot Is constantly
facing all kinds Of weather and has
more meteorological experience than
the military man has, ne said 1.-THE
commercial pilot has had no forma-
ton training, but has had a great
amount Of flying under adverse
weather conditions"
Commercial aviation radio had been
q little more developed" than mill
tary radio.
He agreed there should be limita-
tion on the number Of hours per
month to be flown by pilots, but said
he was not equipped to discuss the
pay question.
"Tr1e Army mail carrying was not
as efficient as that of private COM
panies," Lindbergh said "The Army
had only 10 days to take over sys-