Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-22
PLAN EVOLVED WHEREBY PARTY
WILL BE ABLE TO START
SOMETHING.
EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS
FOR COMMITTEE WORK
Alleged Extravasanes In All Depart
msnts Of Government to BE invssti-
gated TO Procure Evidence on Wrieh
to Conduct Next National Cam paisn
Washington News.
Especial Correspondence


Washington. March 22.-Former
prosecuting attorneys. men who as
lawyers have been accustomed to silt
to the bottom Of things, are to be on
the committees named by the demo-
cratic house to investigate every gov
eminent department This was learned
today
According to present plans. subcom-
mittees OF those charged with the task
of probing the manner in which the
business OF the government has been
conducted. will be headed. whenever
possible. by an experienced prosecutor.
The democrats believe that the investi-
cation Of the departments ought to be
conducted with the same zeal that
might mark the conduct Of an issue IN
court.
It has been patent for some time
that the democratic house. upon the
theory that there will be found In
stance after instance OF departmental
extravag ance and mtsmanagement, has
determined Immediately to proceed
with wholesale investigation. That
the inquiry is to be thorough is indi-
Gated by the decision to place some OF
the most experienced lawyers OF the
house upon the committees which are
to conduct the sweeping investigations.
Champ clark's Suggestion.
The suggestion as to the availability
OF prosecuting attorneys is understood
to have come from no less a person
age than the Speaker-to-be, Champ
Clark Mr.. Clark conceived the idea
a. s%6 To-
nine governmental departments that
control No novice IN the gentle art Of
seeking the root Of evils said to exist
ought to be entrusted with such q task,
reasoned Mr. Clark and other demo-
cratic leaders. :,
II occurred TO them that there will
be several score OF former prosecuting
attorneys In the next house. Some Of
them are men with big regulations
back home.
The word was passed around. Get
two or three good lawyers on every In
vestl9ating committee" was the sug-
gestion promptly approved.
Several valuable "ppobses."
The ways and means committee now
has its feelers out for men OF exper-
fence and ability along investigating
lines.
Martin Littieton. member-eiect from
New York. Is regarded as a valuable
prober. so is William Schley Howard.
Of Georgia. who IS to succeed the vet
eran Uncle Len Livingston. Mr..
Ho,vard's energy as prosecutor Is
doubtless responsible. to great de-
gree. for the fact that he wrested the
laurels from M. Livingston down In
the Fifth Georgia district. He would
go after departmental extravaganza
with the same avidity.
Representative Henry n. Goldfogle.
Of New York. now the ranking demo-
cratic member on the committee on ex-
penditures in the department Of Justice.
is another who may head an investi-
eating committee. Mr. Goldfogle was
formerly Judge OF the NTH New York
district and later ono Of the Judges OF
the municipal court in New York.
Representative Rucker has been both
prosecuting attorney and . circuit
judge In Missouri. and he has had
something TO say Of the need OF an in
vestigation Of the departments At
Washington. Saunders. OF Virginia,
was also Q circuit judge when elected
to congress. Garner. OF Texas. now .
member Of the committee on ex-
penditures in the treasury department
IL still another who once graced the
bench The roster of lawyers In the
next house IL an imposing one.
Regular Committees to Do Work.
There's material IN abundance and
the democrats propose to avail them
selves Of it. The investigations are to
be conducted by the committees on ex-
penditures in the various departments.
The plan to have special investigating
committees has been abandoned a. url-
necessary.
There are nine such committees.
Heretofore they have been more or
namental to the house organization
than useful. But little investigating
has been attempted and expenditures
and policies in the several departments
have been pretty much governed by the
head Of any department in question.
the republican congress exercising no
particular censorship.
The democrats will demand Q new
deal. Each departmental head must
give an account Of his stewardship. The
house recalls that Senator Aldrich.
about a year ago. aTose :: hts place a.
the republican leader Of the senate one
day and observed. in a somewhat OFF,
hand manner. that this government
could save 100000 per annum thru
an economical administration Of Its
business affairs.
Crest Campaign Material.
It will be great campaign material II
the democrats can point out the leaks
and can point the way to the saving of
this sum, equalling about one third OF
the annual appropriations.
Outside Of the matter Of dollars and
cents. departmental red tape. duplica-
ton Of work and other costly admins
trative methods. however, the demo-
Gratis will want to know other things
, concerning the sins Of omission or COM
mission on the part OF department
heads. They will ask . Number Of
questions, for instance:
Some Pointed Questions.
Why hasn't the department Of 5us-
tice prosecuted the steel trust? How