The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-13
PLAN WHOLESALE
 INVESTIGATIONS
Democrats Expect to Do Some ''Whitewashing"
SENSATION EXPECTED
Chairmen of Democratic Committees On Expenditures Will Soon Start Investigation That May Lead
 to Several designations
By PATTERSON srEALEY

Washington, April 2-(Special. )-Before the month expires wholesale investigations of the several departments of the govern ment will be in the process of inaugura- tion. The chairman of the nine commit tees on expenditures were unanimous
 today in declaring that at an early date probably within a few days, they will call together the majority members of their committees and confer relative look ing into the affairs of the deparments Representative Beall of Texas, chair of the committee on expenditures in the department of justice, said he would soon start to work
 "As I understand It," said he, "these committees have been useless under the
 republican houses. I for one intend to Justify the existence of the committee of
 which was made chairman and we ex-
 pect to do great deal of work" Representative Helm of Kentucky chairman of the committee on expendi- lures in the war department, said, q propose with the support and aid of the committee to prosecute diligently and wig orously the work of Investigating the ex- penses of the war department that Is em- braced within the scope and jurisdiction of the committee I want to find out particularly the necessity of expendin2 an annual appropriation of s10o0oo,ooo by the government to maintain an army of 725s9 enlisted men and 4676 officers"
 All the other chairmen talked in similar vein. and 1t is unlikely that a sin gle department will escape the probe of the House democrats. At the last session of Congress several of these "expendi- ture" committees met in order to fore stall tn present democratic House Most stall the present democratic House. Most ing for years, but the House republican leaders thought it would be good plan to ask a few questions of the depart ment heads in order to make a blun at do- ing something and allay democratic crit icisfn and rumors of eytravagarce. mis- management and graft.
 "Whitewasher" Forthcoming
 The desired "whitewashers" are forthcoming. It is the purpose of the democrats to make a thorough investi- gation. The heads of departments as we'll as subordinate officials will be brought before the committee and an attempt will be made to get at the facts of the departments. It was re- called today as an interesting coinci- dence that Senator Blackburn of Ken lucky when a member of the House was chairman of the war department expen- ditures committee and investigations made by him led to the impeachment of Secretary of War Belknap. MT. Helm, another Kentuckian, is now at the head of the committee, and 1t Is the gen eral expectation here that when the committee delves into that period of war department activity existing dur ing the Spanish war and immediately following a condition far worse than that of Belknap will be disclosed.
 Representative Graham, being at the head of the interior department com mittee, will doubtlessly shed much ad- ditional light on the mismanagement of that department under the former secretary MT. Ballinger
 The navy department has long borne an unsavory reputation and there are opportunities awaiting Chairman Hardy of Texas, according to the belief of House members Even the department of agriculture will not escape. There Is less criticism of Secretary Wilson than any other cabinet officer, but 1t seems certain that the House commit tee in charge of it's money accounts will take a peep into things as far as the present administration Is concerned. It is declared in Washington that the department of justice Is the worst managed of all the departments. Re publfcans as well as democrats have few good words for the present Attor- neyN General and the forthcoming in vestigation may lead to his resigna- ton.