| Show Dispute flamed Blamed in bomb Range Delay SHEEP GRAZING LAND CUTS INTO NEEDS OF ARMY Air Chief Reveals Revea s Controversy in in Letter to C C. of C. C The chief of the United States army air corps Monday blamed delay in construction of facilities at t Wendover bombing range to a a controversy controversy between the war department de- de and interior department department depart- depart ment mentIn nent ment nentIn In a letter to Gus P. P Backman executive secretary of the Salt Lake ake chamber of commerce which which- was vas read to members of the board of f governors Monday Major General General Genral Gen- Gen eral ral Henry H. H Arnold stated The original area for the bombing range as recommended by y the war department was materially materially mate- mate reduced due to concerted action of sheep grazers through the grazing service of the department of the interior Reduction Causes Dela Delay This reduction of what was and andis ands is s considered our the air corps' corps required acreage for an adequate bombing and gunnery range is the reason for the delay He added that he was following the situation closely and doing I everything possible to expedite construction The war department recently authorized expenditure of several million dollars' dollars worth of f facilities at Wendover for the range which extends over a large section of northwestern Utah and northeastern northeast northeast- ern Nevada Earlier plans called for completion completion comple- comple tion ion of construction and opening of the he range late in November but the delay will postpone this in indefinitely indefinitely indefinitely in- in definitely according to military of of- Most of th the land recommended now is governed by the interior ulterior department Under war department department department depart depart- ment plans bomb storage operations operations operations opera opera- barracks landing fields and other facilities would be built at Wend Wendover over for use by Pacific coast and intermountain air corps units Colonel W W. FitzGerald commander of the Salt Lake airbase airbase air air- base bas reported efforts are being made to secure temporary bombIng bombing bombing bomb bomb- ing facilities at an undisclosed d point to allow bombing operations while the Wendover range affair is being settled Representative J J. J W. W Robinson D D. Utah in another letter re received received received re- re Monday by Mr Backman said a chamber of commerce re request request request re- re quest t to the war department to locate a a proposed air corps experimental experimental experimental mental laboratory in the Salt Lake area probably would be r rejected iTo To Be BeNear Near Factory Congressman Robinson wrote that members of a war department commission had privately stated the laboratory was to be located at a point near sea level and also near an airplane engine manufacturing manufacturing turing plant to facilitate In a third letter Major C. C O. O Thrasher procurement planning officer of the quartermaster corps S San n Francisco general army de depot depot depot de- de pot Fort Mason Cal Cat requested the ch chamber of commerce to set get setup setup up p a special committee to assist the quartermaster corps in dealing with national defense matters I Especially requested Ma Major or Thrasher wrote are data on fa facilities facilities fa- fa a- a which can be made available available available avail avail- able in a national emergency and ind andon andon on buildings available for storage of military supplies Members of the commission should he suggested suggest suggest- ed be familiar with vilh army organization organization organization and equipment needs |
