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Newspaper
Encampment Echo
Location
Encampment, Wyoming, United States of America
Date
Oct 21, 1920
Page
11
A look at wartime spending shows Congress authorized vast air service sums yet produced few combat aircraft. Records from Justice Hughes's board and Senate and House committees reveal 1917 18 appropriations totaling 1.69 billion dollars, with 1.05 billion expended by mid 1919, while frontline American planes remained scarce and largely ineffective.
In the final days of the war, about 2,000,000 American troops abroad needed 3,400 planes. At the front only DH 4s, 196 American built bombers, and 544 allied observation planes were available. The Aircraft Production board, filled with inexperienced members, bypassed regular manufacturers and wasted roughly one billion dollars on ill conceived contracts.
A congressional hearing excerpt questions Curtiss production potential after an 8000 Spad order was canceled in November 1917. Keys testifies the plant could reach 100 machines daily. Curtiss produced 4412 planes for the navy, which had ample supply. Critics blame Baker and a flawed aircraft board, noting lack of aviation experience among members including Deeds and Ryan.
Gutzman Borglum portrays general inefficiency in the aircraft enterprise while accusing Deeds of using office for personal gain. In 1917 he cites Talbot and Baker testimonies about pay for planes and widespread idle workers at Curtiss and Standard plants, with thousands idle despite large contracts and production promises.
Five craftsmen led by Mr. Deeds form a team to build a unique aircraft engine the Liberty motor. They ignore existing designs and plan 20 000 planes with Delco ignition under United Motors control. Deeds had stock ties and misrepresented his holdings while transferring shares to his wife in 1917.
The Liberty Motor designed by Packard aimed to power all aircraft types but failed to fit any. Plans to adapt French and British models were trialed, yet the motor proved unusable for fighting planes. Talbott admitted limited knowledge and graft concerns while 78 percent changes to Bristol fighters failed. 3,000 Spad orders were canceled and 1,000 built craft scrapped as useless.
Major La Guardia says Baker’s board passed over Curtiss and Hispano Suiza Simplex engines, leaving thousands of workers and planes unfunded. He cites Creel era publicity and Uncle Sam’s promise of 20,000 Liberty-powered fighters by May 1, 1918. Allies misled, marines at Belleau Wood faced German air superiority.
A historical account describes American Liberty engines and the Flaming Coffins, detailing faulty Baker Deeds designs, the bravery of pilots like Captain Eddie Rickenbacker in battle near Metz, and front line testimony criticizing the unsafe fuel tanks and the high casualty rate in the Meuse Argonne fighting.
A wartime speech denounces graft and incompetence at home while praising Allied aid and the sacrifices of American soldiers. It condemns graft in Washington and questions the idea of using battlefield heroism to shield political failures. The speaker criticizes the Democratic administration's war record and calls for accountability.
The State Tribune notes enormous wartime costs and a heavy tax burden. It cites Fort McKenzie in Sheridan, dismantled structures and moved plumbing, plus $500,000 spent moving materiel from Fort Russell to camps, then back east. Cavalry drilled in mud. pneumonia claimed lives. a $5,000,000 fort plan and 6,000 acre reservation lingered unused.
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