Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-06
HAVEN OF OFFICIAL PIRACY
DECLARES MONEY WAS SPENT
FOR WINES, BANQUETs, AUTO
RIDES AND LIKE.
fROUCHT With DANGER
President Has Taken TO Himself
More Power Than Either House,
Missouran Declares.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Criticlsms
OF the president and secretary OF
state for their Interpretation of the
statute lowering the secret fund for
the state department was made by
Representative Hamlln of Missouri
in a speech in the house today Mr..
llamlin is chairman of the committee
on state department expenditures
which has been making an investiga-
ton of this matter.
In six years, said Mr.. HamlIn, de-
partment has expended secretly
$732,9Si, averaging $122. 900 year,
when the secret of the fund appeared
for such a purpose was only $4,000
a year. He called upon the house
to amend the statute to prevent the
fund becoming the very haven Of
official piracy"
Suggests a Remedy.
As remedy, Mr.. Hamlin urged
the bill to create a joint COMMITTEES
of three senators and three repre-
sentatVes with whom the president
shall make an advisory report on
the first of each December of the
moneys given him for the preced-
ing year, FOR emergencies aasing
in the department committee. Then
make sums of the fund high crime
and misdemeanor and lmpeachent
The committee, it proposes should
hold in confidence all information
Necessary to be secured.
81 have found enough about this
secret fund" declared Mr.. Hamlin.
To make me anxious to know
how many thousand dollars have
been expended each year on por-
traits, pleasures, Increased salaries
and other things that congress meyer
contemplated should be paid from
the fund.
spent SiS3 Day.
Last year we spent nearly $780,
600 when there were no war clouds
on the horizon. The president while
bearing the olive branch in one hand,
with the other was putting out the
money from the treasury at the rate
Of $4S3 a day, including Sundays.
We are told the money went for Sec
ret purchases, but where 1t went
only God knows.
During the last six fiscal years.
he continued. the state department
has used money from eighteen funds
besides the emergency fund.
For Many Funds.
Among the funds so used Mr..
Hamlin. mentioned contingent ex-
penses of foreign missions. interna-
tional siemosgraphical associations
st. Johns river litigation. celebration
Of discovery of Lake Champlaln.,
10000 spent from the Champlain
fund to enable this country to par
ticipate In the celebration being COW
cred by a secret voucher.
Mr. Hamln said that il this money
was actually used for that celebration
"it probably went for railroad fare,
hotel bills, automobile hire. banquet
ings. wine and the like.
AfAf ofAh iltt ihHA'dh WI hi AAnll-
ing vouchers the president causes the
secretary OF state to make certi-
ficate solemly declaring that the ma
ture and objects of this experience is
deemed ineXpedlent to make known.
The proposition is frought with great
danger"
Trail Was To Hot
Referring to the mystery Of last
summer over the departments actual
expenditures for William Day. MIR.
Hamlin said:
THE committee had certainly got
on a trail so hot that the president
when appealed to, declared the de-
partmont officials to refuse tho
Hamlin committee any Information
about the secret fund doubtless in
tended to protect forever these cN-
pcnditures from the vulgar employees
OF the public"
"ln that order" said Mr.. Hamlin,
"the president arrogotes 10 himself
greater importance than Is accorded
either house Every questionable act
or suspicion investigated by our CONF
mittee has led directly into the my