Evening star., 1939-01-27
u. S. Plants to Rush
Planes for France,
DiscIoses
Government Approves
Doubled Order for
Pursuit Ships

Oficial American cooperation,
both governmental and civil, In ef-
! forts of the French government to
build up that nations military air
7 forces was disclosed today.
The disclosure came in the wake
of inquiry of why or how French
air ministry observer was a pas
senger in a military bomber which
crashed during tests in California
last Monday.
At the White House this morning
President Roosevelt said American
aircraft manufacturers had agreed,
with the knowledge of this Govern
ment, to supply France with an
undesignated number of military
planes.
At the Capitol, the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee learned
through questioning two cabinet
officers and two other Government
officials that this Government had
assigned a naval officer, Capt. Sgd
ney Moses Kraus, ito the project"
of helping a special French mission
find the necessary planes. Paul
.Chemidlin, the injured observer,
vas member of this mission.
French Order Doubled.
Meanwhile, an official source dis
closed that French order for 100
American made pursuit planes,
placed last year at cost of $5,000,-
600. has been doubled. The order
was placed with the Curtiss- Wright
Corp. of Buffalo, NJ Y.
1t was reported that the French
are ready to spend $65,000,000 on
few planes.
The planes are similar in type to
ones used in the American Army Air
Corps and it was one of this type
which was credited this week with
q speed dive of SIS miles per hour.
AS a result of testimony yesterday
by Maj. Gen. H. H. Arnold, chief OF
the Army Air Corps, the Senate COM
nittee today called Secretary of the
Treasury Morgenthau, Secretary of
War Woodring, Admiral c. ]. Peo-
pies, chief of the Treasury Procure
ment Division, and Capt. Kraus. In
addition, Gen, Malin Craig, chief of
staff, has been asked to appear to-
morrow.
New Legislation Predicted.
With all testimony behind closed
doors, Chairman Sheppard told re-
porters later that it was established
that the Treasury Department had
been instrumental in sending the
French mission to California for
the plane tests.
On the basis of the participation
Of the Treasury and other depart
ments "in the project" the commit
tee will consider, Chairman Shep-
pard said, whether any further
legislation is necessary in connec-
ton with the airplane industry, and
Its sales Of military planes to for
eign governments and to the United
States"
Members of the committee were
80 seriously impressed by the de-
velopments at the hearing that they
predicted an effort would be made
to have the whole testimony before
the committee made public as soon
rs the inquiry is completed.
Regulation Proposed.
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,, who was instrumental in hav-
ing Secretary Morgenthau called
before the committee, said after the
hearing:
IF there is nothing in the law to
prohibit the sales of the latest
American military planes to foreign
governments, there should be. I will
seek to put something into the law.
Particularly is this reasonable when
1t is understood that the develop
ment of these airplanes is contrib
uted to by the use of public funds.
II am opposea to leaving any
such discretion (the sale of military
planes) to any one, including the
President.
"TEhe course of the administra-
ton would seem very definitely to
line us up with the French. If
there is to be any such alliance, the
people should be informed of it,"
No New British Orders.
Although no purchases by the
British government are involved in
the present situation, that govern
ment last year contracted for 400
American-made craft at a cost of
approximately $30,000,000. The
British orders were placed with
North American Aviation Corp and
kockheed Aircraft Corp.
Gen. Arnold was reported to have
told the committee that the War
Department and the Army had not
given any permission for Mr.. Che
midlin to fly in the plane Monday