Evening star., 1934-03-13
FOULOIS TESTIFIES
HE THOUGHT ARMY
COULD FLY MAIL S

Continued From First Page)
the Army bill yesterday The hear
ings were not available for publica-
ton until this afternoon.
Senator Reeds first question to
Gen. Foulois was, Tell me, please.
now what assurance, If any, you
gave the President about the ability
of the Army to carry the mails?"
Called Into Conference.
Gen. Fo'alois told in detail how he
had received call to 60. on Feb
ruary at l. am, to the Post Office
Department to confere with Second
Assistant Postmaster General Branch.
He said he supposed the conference
was to be in connection with COM
mittee looking to aviation develop
ment on which he, Branch, and Mr.
Vidal of the Department of Com
merce were members. When Gen.
Foulois reached the Post Office De-
partment he said, Mr.. Branch told
him he wanted to go over with him
the alrmail schedules and routes.
Gen. Foulois said then he called two
officers from his Office to Join the
conference and that the conference
lasted from 2i2 to 3 hours.
After he left the Post Office De-
partment. Gen. Foulois returned to
his own office and then went over to
the War Department to call on Maj
Gen. Hugh A. Drum, deputy chief
of staff.
While he was waiting to see Gen.
Drum. some newspaper men came in
and told him the airmail contracts
had been Cancelled and that the Army
was 10 carry the mails.
Did Not See President.
Senator Reed asked Gen. Foulois
the following questions
you had no conference with the
President himself on the matter?"
No. sir" replied Gen. Foulois.
Senator Reed asked Gen Douglas
Macarthur. chief Of staff of the
Army. whether he had been con-
suited regarding the flying of the
airmails before the executive order
was issued placing that duty on the
Army. Gen. MacArthur's reply was:
Il knew nothing about carrying the
mails until 1 was told of it by Mr.
Leverts of the Associated Press. 1 had
not been called into conference with
any one with reference to that"
The executive order was made be-
fore you knew it?" asked Senator
Reed
Yes, sir" said Gen. Macarthur.
Senator Reed turned to Gen. Drum
and asked
Had you given any assurance to
anybody that the Army could do this
job?"
Drum Told by Foulois.
Gen. Drum replied:
THE first I heard of it was when
Gen Foulois came in and told me OF
that conversation he had with Post
Office officials"
Senator Reed asked II Secretary
of War Dern had been consulted be-
fore the executive order was issued.
Gen. Foulois replied he did not know.
Gen. Foulois said he had learned
of the order, he thought. about 4
o'clock. He said he left the conference
at the Post Office Department at about
230 pm. Gen. Macarthur said he
had heard of the order from the Asso-
ciated Press about 4:30.
The committee went into a discus
sion of the proposed $10OO0.000 in
crease for the Air Corps, recommended
by the President. Gen. Foulois was
asked whether the President wished
this money for flying the airmails
Gen. Foulois replied he understood
the President had in mind the de-
velopment and improvement of the
Army aircraft material and general
training, and that the request had
nothing to do with the airmail.
MacArthur's Views.
Gen. Macarthur. in reply to ques-
tions. told the committee he believed
this request for increased apropria-
tlons for the air service was initiated
ey the President himself.
Gen. Foulois commented on the
fact that general study has been
going on between the Army, Navy
and Department of Commerce regard
ing the development and general
study OF aviation. He said he thought
probably the request for the addi-
tional appropriation had something
to do with that.
Frank Talk Advised.
At the outset of the testimony of
the Army officers. Senator Copeland
of New York, Democrat. and chair
man of the subcommittee handling
the Army bill, said:
We should speak very frankly be-
cause there is considerable unrest in
the Senate about the air problem and
the feeling that something went
wrong with the carrying of the mails
by the Army planes"
It was decided that the testimony
given should be made a matter of
record. Questions by members of the
committee brought from Gen. Foulois
the statement that Congress had cut
the budget estimates for the Army
Air Corps by about $4,000 over
the last three years. The chief Of the
Air Corps said that during the past
six or seven years the corps had not
been given adequate funds for the
development Of aircraft and material,
and that the present proposed in