Evening star., 1947-08-01

| cuSeQ temporarily from CeSLlIy
into Mr.. Hughes wartime plan
Hughes
Continued From First Page)
ord a memorandum written by Gen
Echols on August 81. l943. to an
other AAF officer, Brig, Gen. B. w
Chidlaw. chief oil the material di-
vision, which read as follows:
Il. Col Elliott Roosevelt informed
Gen. Arnold that the Hughes air
plane is the only airplane already
designed which is suitable for pho
tographic purposes. Gen. Arnold d.
rected me verbally to the effect that
if this is the case, to take steps to
get Hughes a contract for photo
graphic airplanes.
Manpower Ruling Cited.
%. 1t is desired you take this mat
ter up with o. C. and r. tanother
division of the AAF), informing them
of Gen. Arnold's views In regard to
this matter and determine as to
whether or not O. C. and R. desires
to furnish this division a directive
to procure these airplanes for pho
tographic purposes. The attention
of o. C. and r. should be invited
to recent ruling OF the War Man.
power Commission that in future
whenever a new contract Is made
by procurement agency on the
West Coast, that that agency must
reduce other contracts to sufficient
extent to furnish necessary man.
power to perform the new contract.
In other words. if these airplanes
are to be built in Los Angeles area
steps will have to be taken to re-
duce deliveries of some of the other
airplanes now scheduled from
that area"
Senator Ferguson commented that
the committee has been unable to
find any AAF records dealing with
the experimental plane between
July, 1912, and the end of June, 1943.
Gen. Echols said there probably
were none because Mr.. Hughes was
conducting his own development
He added that late in June, 1913,
he made a report on performance
and possible production of the
Hughes plane at the request of
Gen. Arnold.
The committee already has re-
ceived testimony behind closed doors
from Mr.. Meyer that Elliott was
one of the Army officers and Gov
ernment officials whom he enter
tanned in behalf of Mr.. Hughes.
The plane which Mr.. Roosevelt
favored was a type of two-place
fighter which it was proposed to
convert into a photo-reconnaissance
ship. 1t then was known as the
DIS but subsequently has been
designated as the Fill.
Subpoena Flown to Coast.
Senator Ferguson had the Hughes
subpoena placed on plane last night
for service by United States mar
shals on the West Coast after fail
ing to get a definite answer on a
telephone request to Mr.. Hughes to
take the stand today voluntarily.
Mr.. Hughes version. outlined In
Los Angeles, was that he had told
Senator Ferguson by telephone
that:
Il refused to Jump through a
hoop like trained seal and fly
all night and appear the next
morning without any sleep to testi-
fly all day on a most important
matter.
Il made a firm agreement with
Ferguson's committee that I would
appear Wednesday, August s.
have made my plans to 60 across
the country to Washington at that
time"
Lease Agreement Disclosed.
New revelations late yesterday on
the cost and conditions surround
ing the building of the huge Kaiser
Hughes plywood cargo plane, in
cluded the following:
Senator Ferguson brought out
that the Government agreed in
March, 1914. to let the Hughes Tool
Co. lease the plane upon its COM
pletion until it had recouped in
rental value $4,000 900 of its money
used in completing the plane
Civil Aeronautics Administration
officials testified that the plane can
not possibly pass static tests re-
quired for approved-type certificates
In commercial service, unless the
wing and hull are dismounted and
subjected to strains up to the point
of destruction. Either this would
have to be done. or another air
plane built to undergo the tests.
Senator Ferguson brought out
from engineers OF the Defense
Plant Corp. which financed the
project, that the one big cargo plane
finally built Is costing the Govern
ment s21,115.s70.44. although the
original program worked out with
Mr.. Kaiser and Mr.. Hughes contem-
plated building three for 18.000, 600.
The engineers said the additional
cost included the value of engines
and other equipment. which it was
intended from the start would be
supplied by other Government
agencies.
S37 800 Monthly Lease.
| Senator Ferguson revealed that
the arrangement under which the
Hughes concern would have the
right to lease the big cargo plane
for a stated period after its COM
pletion was contained in a new letter
Iof intent, or agreement, entered into
FOUND
COCKER SPANIEL, brown, short tail; vic
| Sth and e sts. Sc. LU. 1920.
BOAT, II tt, plywood: found vicinity
Breezy Point Beach, Call NATHAN PARKS,