Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-16
OUAH ACCUSES
NATIONAL GUARD
HEADS or GRAFT
Idaho Senator Startles Congress
with Charge that Eight Millions
Set Aside Yearly Wasted
and Embezzled.
ASSERTS OFFICERS GET IT ALL
Speaker Declares He Brings In
dictmcnt Without Qualifi.
cations.
LODGE DEFENDS THE ARMY

WASHINGTON, April f5s---sena-
tor Borah, republican, attacking fed
eral pay for the National Guard,
aroused the senate today with a
charge that the sS,0O0,000 year
now appropriated by the government
for the National Guard was shame
fully wasted" and some OF II "embez-
zled."
That's n pretty serious charge"
said Senator Pomerene, democrat, In
terrupting.
well. ! make II without any dpnlifi-
cation" Senator I,orah replied. and he
read from War department reports TO
show that most Of tho fund had been
utilized by officers OF the National
Guard for themselves, and that enlisted
men had practically no benefit Of It.
They VIII Hesitate.
"If senators here will examine the rec
ord Of these appropriations" senator
Borah continued, they will hesitate
about appropriating tb0O0o.0Oo for the
National Guard. as II IL now proposed TO
DO. Tho way the officers Of tho Ma
tionai Guard have been utilizing the fed
crnI fund 10 themselves TO the exclusion
Of enlisted mon is perfectly shameful
and cannot be defended except for po-
litical exigonciag,"
Senators Pomerene and Reed etaunchly
defended tho National Guard, declaring
that II there had been irregularities there
we're remedies az law.
snasor Lodge defended the regular
army and declared II was time 10 stop
casting aspcrgions upon II.
"The regular army has fought and won
all our battles and is fighting for ug
In Mexico today" he said, "and am sick
and tired OF hearing II attacked"
On a vote Senator sutherlands amend
ment was defeated.
Senator Cnmmins, republican, said he
was shocked at Senator Borahs state
mcns.
II do not believe the charges that Ma
tspnoi Guard officers have miaappro-
m4ntcd the nations rnoney-stolen it--for
there Is no moral differences sasA he.
II think consideration OF this biil should
b. halted while the senate ascertains
whether officers OF the guard are guilty
N such chargea."
The Amount spent.
senator Borah In support OF his charge
vaid:
81 find. according TO tho report OF the
war department. that In the OHIO ma
t,onaI rifle match in 1911, sis,sss was en-
pended ON the state rifle team, all OF
whom were officers In the period from
Tulv O. 1911, 70 September 25 1919 an Of
ticer. a colonel, drew pay to the amount
az II III. In the period from July ], 1911,
20 september IS. 1912, another officer, also
,r ths same state, colonel, drew pay 70
the amount OF n.em
an she period from July 30. 1871, 70 sep
temlaar 4, 1918, third colonel In tne state
drew pay TO the amount OF N.z@' 30
thelcntlre appropriation or apportoninent
10 the state OF Ohio for this year praeu-
eaEy went TO the officers and there y
no report that any portion Of 1t Is going
10 tho enlised men,"
Senator Borah stood by his statemeas
IN spite Of rush Of senators to defend
tho guard OF their own states.
u do not know that there are any of
ficers OF the National Guard whom !
would dlstrust personally" he said.
Il call tho attention OF senators that
have not made n general charge. /
have said that the money appropriated
under the Dick law has been shameiessly
used and not used as Il would have been
n the officers drawing It had eeen pay
ing the taxes creating II.
"f.ct them disproye the figures and II
they DO ! am not too proud 20 apologize.
bit ! win say now that the more they
are disposed 70 delye into the record Of
the last eight years the less they will be
inclined 10 expose their findnga on the
floor ot the senate