Evening star., 1934-09-12
AID OF i. S. PILOTS
TO ARMS MEN TOLD
Curtiss-Wright Head Says
Army Flyers Were Useful
in Sales.
Continued From First Page.)

Colombia after the State DEPARTMENT
announced they would lose their citi-
zensnip II they did so, despite the
fact they had been recruited either to
fight or instruct Colombian pilots.
Lieut.. Comdr. j. H. Strong, former
American naval officer, then was in
charge Of Colombias air forces.
Effort to See Hoover.
Concerning the effort to have
President Hoover entertain Comdr.
Mertno while the Chilean aviation
official was in this country, C. w,
Webster, president Of Curtiss Wright
at that time, advised Burdette S.
Wright, vice president. that Merino
had been persuaded to visit the United
States before going to England if an
official invitation were extended BY
the War Department.
IF possible" Webster said, I'VE
would like to have you arrange for
permission to visit various Army and
Navy stations, and have him meet
the Army and Navy Secretaries, and,
If possible, President Hoover.
This seems advisable and necessary
in order to offset the efforts of the
Prince of Wales"
Merino was described by Webster as
the biggest foreign customer we have,
and Is entirely responsible for all our
business in Chile"
Hearing to Proceed.
Despite protests from some foreign
| countries as to what the Senate nu-
nitions investigation is bringing out,
Chairman Nye gave the word before
| today's hearing began that there
will be no change in our plans
Secretary Of State Hull, to whom
protests had been made by foreign
countries, conferred yesterday with
Senator Nye, and it was after this
conference that Nye said the COM
mittee's plans would not be changed.
Secretary Hull spoke Of the inquiry
as a righteous" one.
| A committee member said one of
the subjects discussed at the confer
ences was testimony to be given by
Du Pont officials.
Committee members viewed the
complaints sent to the State Depart
ment as encouraging and holding the
promise that world opinion win be
aroused to perils of unchecked trafic
In munitions.
Urges World Hold Temper"
One committee member said the
world should hold its temper" at the
United States for pioneering in the
munitions investigation work, and un-
dertake to get at the real facts in so
far as they affect their own countries.
A letter was given Hull by Nye that
will be used TO answer the diplomatic
protest from Argentina and other rep
resentations understood to have been
made by England, Chile and another
Latin American country.
This Is an investigation Of NUM-
tions manufacturers, not of the
morals of foreign governments" Sen
ator Bone, Democrat, Of Washington,
said. II see no justification for any
great international alarm.
II am amazed al the frankness Of
the witnesses who have faced us this
far. They nearly all have admitted
to me privately that the mad race
for armaments will bankrupt every
country thus engaged, and yet they
say If they don't do the business, some
one else will. They admit the world
is headed for disaster in the NUM-
tions race, but justify their conduct
thus"
| HuI's Statement.
Hull, aroused by testimony before
the committee rejecting on his de-
partment, told reporters he had
fought for peace in the Chaco War
in South America over a long period
when everybody else was deaf and
| dumb"
Testimony was received yesterday
that President Rodriguez of Mexico
had interested himself in war material
sales and purchases.
In Mexico City a statement was Is
sued on behalf of the President, say
ing "it is absurd and inconceivable to
try to connect the name of the Pres
| ident of the republic and the names
of other Mexican functionaries in the
investigation and whatever declara-
tions may be made before that COM
mittee do not affect in any way the
regulations of these persons, nor do
they interest them in any way what
SoeVer."
A letter by the Washington repre-
sentative of CurtiSs- Wright, Robert L.
Earle, to President Allard, in 1888,
said President Rodriguez seemed to
"be involved in all aircraft pur-
chases" his country made. At one
time he was said TO have ordered fu-
ture aircraft dealings to be made di-
rectly through him.
The names of several Mexican mill
tary officials were frequently men,
toned in connection with efforts by
Curtiss- Wright to sell in Mexico.
Lawrence Leon. agent for the concern,
in a letter written to G. w. Webster,
former president of the export corpora
ton, on August 5, 1888, made this
statement:
Il have never seen any country
where graft is so freely taken for
granted"
Both Leon and Earle referred sew
eral times to Gen. j. Azcarate, former
chief of the Mexican presidential staff,
and now military attache in Wash
ington; Gen. Francisco j. Aguilar, for
mer Mexican military attache at WASH
ington. and Gen. Rodriguez Familiar,
who became chief Of staff on Novem-
ber /, 1898.