Evening star., 1914-04-19
Mr.. Madden Directs Suspicion
at Methods of Committee
on Expenditures.
"THIS MATTER SMELLS"
COMMENTS REP. STAFFORD
Double Compensation to One Con-
gresham for Clerk Hire" Init
mates Representative Good.

The House of Representation spent
two hours yesterday in a fierce fight
over a resolution to pay eight months
salary. 81 300. to Miss Catherine kerby
of Georgetown. who has been employed
for several months by the House COM
mittee on expenditures in the Depart
ment of Commerce.
Although no criticism was made of
Miss Kerby and her work, serious re-
fiections were made upon the committee
on expenditures in the Department of
Commerce Representative Mann went
the length of saying that the commit
tee had drawn money for clerk who
had never been inside the committee
room
This matter SMELLS, Representative
Stafford commented.
Committees Authority Exceeded.
Chairman Lloyd of the committee on
accounts presented the resolution to
shortly after the House convened at
noon yesterday. He said it had been
recommended TO him.
of Illinois took the floor to protest.
He said that. while Miss Kerby's work
was not under fire, ii was evident that
the committee on expenditures had ex-
ceeded its authority to employ her
He said the young woman had been
working for months and that she had
| been paid $50 on two occasions. The
committee had on its rolls clerk who
had never been in the room. he ASSERT
! ed. and who had not done any work
for it.
| Clerk on the Rolls.
| THE committee has made a report on
the fur seal situation" continued Repre-
sentative Madden. THE report is based
on information, 1 believe. coming from a
man named Elliott. who made his head
quarters in the committee room. Now
no one but Miss kerby has been doing
clerical work in that Office. Yet they
have committee clerk on the rolls
rs the clerks name Baker," asked
| Representative Stafford. rs he not the
, man who testified before the lobby in
vestigation committee when the McDer-
mott case was up, in regard to the use
of one of the rooms assigned to the De-
partment of Commerce expenditures COM
| mittee?
He said. then. he was engaged i'll WORK
other than committee work Yet here
| we have this extra expenditure for clef-
| ical employment brought lin to us.
say this matter smells.
Double Compensation Paid
Representative Good of Iowa said h'
also knew that Miss kerby was the only
clerk seen in the Office.
| And if that is the case. he contin
ued. then We are paying double com
Ipensation of congressman for clerk
hire. The chairman of the committed
on expenditures in the Department o.
Commerce knew the committee had NJ
| authority for the employment of thi:
clerk.
| THE committee has had no other clerks
working there. / am informed that the
lyoung lady has been paid for at least a
part of the time at rate less than that
which is asked here. At the end OF
eight months. after no other clerks have
been working in that committee. we are
right is the demand made for clerk hire
which has been paid to some one else?
Investigation Suggested.
lis there to be no investigation OF
this asked Representative Roberts of
massachusetts.
II Representative Watkins of Louisiana
lsaid that, as far as the committee was
concerned. the law had been followed.
| Representative Lloyd. chairman of the
lcommittee on accounts reminded the
, House that the young woman had done
1.-THE work and that she needed the money
THE House was again reminded that the
publicity given to the payment was not
a reflection on the employe.
| Chairman Rothermel of the committee
lon expenditures in the Department OF
Commerce was not in the House L,
was said he is in his home in PennsyI-
ivania.
The committee for long time has
Ibeen investigating operations of certain
fur seal companies in Alaska. and has
on two occasions produced bitter reports
calling for a drastic change in the laws
. regulating the hunting of seals. Miss
Kerby. whose salary checks caused the
: row yesterday. was for several months
an employe of the House District COM
mittee-