The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-24
NO MORE YELLOW NOVELS
FOR ARMY OFFICERS At
THE WAR DEPART NENT
House Decides that Only Technical
Works Shall Hereafter Be
Purchased.
DEBATE
Mr.. Henenway Protests Against
yellow" Tales-Speech by
" Jim Robinson.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 23-The House de-
voted the entire day TO consideration of the
army appropriation bill in committee of the
whole. Mr.. Robinson, of Indiana. took oc-
casion to criticse the War Department for
the expenditures made by the Bureau of
Ordnance and Fortifications i'm connection
with the Langley airship. declaring that
such expenditures were without the sane
ton of Congress and that the airship was
without utility.
Only twelve of the forty-one pages of the
bill had been read for amendment when
the House adjourned. The provision in the
bill for the construction of submarine
cable from Sitka to Fort Liscutt, Alaska,
went out on a point of order.
a spirited discussion was precipitated by
Mr.. Hemenway, chairman of the appropri-
atoms committee. who proposed limita-
ton on the purchase of books and periodi-
Gals for the army. The Dreyfus case,
French novels, and the character of the
books in the department library were among
the subjects discussed. An amendment
finally prevailed providing for the purchase
of technical and professional works only.
In Offering his amendment Mr.. Hemen-
way made the general statement that the
department libraries were full of yellow
novels and books of no value as we'll as
good novels. Mr.. Hemenway was closely
questioned for specific statement by men,
bers OF the Military Academy.
Mr.. Parker, of New Jersey. called atten-
ton TO the difficulty of getting military in
formation abroad, and he maintained that
no restriction should be made This matter
of secret information, he said was one Of
the charges against Dreyfus.
Mr.. Hay, of Virginia, asked Mr.. Hemen-
way who was responsible in the War De-
partment for the purchase OF French
novels.
The answer was that 1t had gone on for
years under the various secretaries of war.
Mr.. Hemenway said since he had been in
Congress various efforts had been made to
incorporate these department libraries in
the Congressional Library, or in some of
the public libraries of the District of Co
lumbia.
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi. suggested
that the House committee agriculture
had eradicated this same abuse in the De-
partment of Agriculture Library by limit
Ing the appropriation to the purchase of
technical works pertaining TO the work
of the department.
Mr.. Slayden, of Texas, offered an amend
ment TO this effect which Mr.. Hemenway
accepted.
Mr.. Robinson. Of Indiana. said that the
appropriation bill should be specific, and
limit these to which the sums appropriated
may be put and took occasion TO critcise
the expenditure of money by the War De-
partment in the Langley airship expert
made for the purpose lacked the sanction
of Congress and characterized the airship
as lacking i'm utility. 81 will charge directly
to the officers of the government, to its
officials and to it's departments" Mr.. Rob
inson said "a system of twisting the con-
struction of our appropriations. system
of enlargement running wild, and in that
charge | that the War Department
yes, and that the head of the War De-
| partment-has permitted an expenditure for
scientific purposes of over 100000 in a vain
attempt TO breathe life into airship
/ project which. collapsed. and which was
| known, IL secs 10 me. by every sensible
man. had no utility about 1t, and this they
| did without the sanction of Congress by a
misconstruction of the act"
Reciting the fact that the establishment
\ of the board of ordnance and fortifica-
tions and of the provision for expending
| money for experiments. Mr.. Robinson said:
/ so that il has become a scandal that
! Langley's airshp, the result of Congress
4 sional action in general terms. has cost
| the government over 100000, when IL never
! had a grain of utility about 1t; and that
was under the direct charge of the Secre-
! tary of War and under the charge of wal
| and navy officers, a board sanctioned by
! this Congress. which gave them at that
time over $3OO0,O00 with which To operate
/ and by the fertilization bill of last year
| gave them 100000 of the peoples money
/ to be wasted on this scientific aerial navi-
cation experiment
! Concluding he said: 81 take ii that no.
/ body on that side of the House or this
| would expend even where the law has
sanctioned this money that was sunk In
aerial navigation, this Don QuiXote scheme
of Prof. Langley.
! resolution calling upon the secretary OF
/ the navy for information as to the number
pense for the use of his department was
I adopted.