Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05
Representative HamIin Scores
the State Department.
MENACE TO THE TREASURY
Could Be Made, He Says, Haven of
Official Piracy
HAVE EXCEEDED ALLOWANCE
Expenditures Far beyond the seo,.
600 Year Voted by Congress.
Wants Reports Made.

additional charges of the Juggling and
aversion of funds at the disposal OF the
STATE department were made on the floor
OF the House this afternoon by Repre-
sentative Hamlin of Missouri. chairman
OF the House committee on expenditures
or the State Department, who investi-
gated the Day portrait charges that at
tracted so much attention during the spe-
cial session Of Congress last summer
Rising to question Of personal
privilege, Mr.. Hamlin today asserted
that the secret fund" authorized for
use in the State Department might be
made the haven of official piracy" un-
der the construction placed by the
President and Secretary Of State on the
| statute providing the fund.
! 1T may be interesting as we'll as aston
| ishing for the House to know he said,
that during the last six fiscal years the
State Department has used money from
many funds in addition to the emergency
| fund, and they declined to tell how the
money was expended but settled with the
crecy."
! Mr. Hamln declared that during the
f! last six years the State Department had
expended secretly s7S2, 1881 80. or an aver
age of 1922, 1888 annually, although dur
! ing that time the appropriation for the
secret fund amounted to only $4,000
year.
Asks Report to Committee.
Chairman Hamlin urged that here
after the items accounted for in this
secret manner to the Treasury Depart
ment should be communicated to a
, committee of the House and Senate.
which would hold them secret after
looking them over. He has already
introduced a bill intended to put this
arrangement into effect.
Discussing his investigation recently
concluded into the secret funds OF the
State Department, Mr.. Hamlin said:
Congress, failing. heretofore to exercise
what baliexe to be its li1disputable right
in this regard, has been fruitful Of great
abuse, for there seems to have grown up
in the State Department this peruicious
and dangerous practice of not only using
the money out OF the emergency fund,
but out of any fund which we give them,
and if for any reason they do not care
to divulge the purpose for which this
money is expended they cover it up by
secret certificate
Then Chairman Hamlin mentioned eight
cen separate and distinct funds at the
disposal of the State Department, out of
which the department had spent money
for purposes which it did not care to di-
vulge, and had covered the expenditure
with a secret voucher. This, he contend
ed, was against the law.
Keeping in mind" said Mr.. HamIin,
that the statute creating the emer-
gency fund was designed to enable the
President to conceal from the public
the details of such expenditures as
might involve us i'll trouble with for
eign nations, IL the manner OF its ex-
penditure was known. but that as to
all other expenditures he must report
specifically, 1t will certainly create
surprise in the minds of people when
they come to know that he expended
$4,000 of the money we appropriated
to participate in the celebration of the
discovery of Lake Champlain and COW
cred that expenditure in settlement
with the Treasury with a secret cer-
tificate.
Wholly Domestic Affair.
THAT was wholly a domestic affair.
There could not possibly have been any
necessity for secrecy as to the expendi-
ture of that money. We don't know
whether this money was used in connAc-
ton with that celebration at all, but II so
this $4,000 was probably used in paving
abroad fare. hotel bills, automobile hire,
wine. etc, and yet. instead OF furnishing
! vouchers to the auditor for the Treasury
showing just what this money was used
for, the President causes the Secretary
OF state to make certificate solemnly
declaring that the nature and object OF
this expenditure is deemed inexpedient
TO be made known
ITO my mind this is monstrous propo-
| sifion. and one freighted with great dan
| ger to the welfare Of the public treasury
Mr. Hamlin wanted to know what CON
clusion could be drawn from the refusal
| of the President and Secretary of STATE
| in:o their confidence and explain FOR what
purpose the money, or some part of il
was expended.
lit seems to me- he said. that they
cannot complain il we draw tho in
| eyitable conclusion that this money or AT
least some part Of it has been Improperly
expended. and therefore they cannot dare
| to make 1t public. This conclusion is
strengthened, / think, by recent occur
rences.
Mr. Hamlin then recalled the fact that
during the inquiry in connection with
! the Day portrait mystery Secretary OF
State Knox had directed the disbursne-
officer of the Sta.e Department not TO
furnish certain information to tho Ham.
| lin committee.
| 1T has been a matter Of some dis.
cussion as to whether the Presiden+
has authority to refuse Congress or a
committee thereof certain informat tion
but this is the first time, I think in
the history of the country that a hea1
/ of one of the statutory departmerfs
subjected to be abolished by Conrrns.
at will. has presumed to direct : s,,i,
ordinate to ignore the mandate a. c<,t,
! gress. expressed through one oe ita
standing committees.
On a Hot Trail.
! Referring to President Taft's executive
order Of July z, 1911. directing the Secre-
| tary of State and the subordinate officers
of that department not to give informa-
ton to Congress about the secret fund.
even II demanded by subpoena. Mr.. Ham,
IN aid -Fhe committee was on such :,
hot trail that the President was appealed
| to, and issued that order, which waa
| doubtless intended to protect forever these
expenditures from the vulgar eyes OF the
public.
in that order the President arrogates
/ to himself greater authority over the ex-
penditure OF pubic money than is pos
sessed by either house OF Congress or any
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