Evening star., 1917-03-04
FUND FOR INQUIRY
REFUSED BY HOUSE
Spurns Idea of Hiring Investi-
gator to Continue Probe Of
U. SD. C. Accounts.
BITTERNESS IS AROUSED

Ater q bitter struggle, the House early
this morning refused for the second time
to authorize the District committee Of the
Ftingent fund Of the next House for an
accountant to continue the investigation
into the financial account between the
United States and the District og Column
bia. Much of the credit for defeating
this item belongs to Representative San
ford of New York. a young member of the
House, who has been in the background
until last night. Representative SANFORD
tigation and declared there ''is an old
fashioned public way" of conducting the
public business.
Representative johnson declared that
the expenditure Of $500 would probably
turned over to the United States from
District funds.
Fitzgerald Very Bitter.
REPRESENTATIVE Fitzgerald was very
bitter against the resolution. saying that
it was a ridiculous performance to en-
deayor to continue the activities of
House committee in that way.
Representative Mann asked.
"Why should the republicans OF this
CONGRESS vote to spend the money out
Of the contingent fund of the next
House. which is not going to be demo-
cratic"
Representatives Lloyd of Missouri
and Miller of Delaware supported the
resolution. Representative johnson was
beaten on a division on a motion TO
suspend the rules and adopt the resolu-
tion by ia to 81. but he could not
Mole f0 n
call
Speaker Forced to Vote.
Representative Lloyd Of Missouri.
chairman of the committee on ac-
counts. presented the resolution which
was objected to by Representative San
ford of New York, who forced count
by tellers to insure a second to the
motion to adopt the resolution. The
teller count showed a tie-104 to 104-
and Speaker Clark voted In the afnrma-
tive. allowing the motion to be sec
onded.
Representative Fitzgerald of New
York then got on his feet and de-
nounced the resolution up and down In
very plain language. He said 1t was
ridiculous" violated every precedent.
be labeled what is the Constitution
among friendsT" He said 1t proposed
to do something in the next House that
the present House had not authorised.
Criticizes Committee.
He said there was a difference between
legislation passed by both houses and
signed by the President and reso-
luton adopted by one house.
1T Is unfortunate" he said. that the
committee on accounts does not know
its duties. and that its members seem
to be ignorant of its powers under the
Constitution"
Representative Miller of Delaware
asked Representative Fitzgerald II he
believed Speaker Clark, who had voted
in the Affirmative on the seconding
ing described by Representative Fitz-
The Speaker shouldn't be held re-
sponsible for every idiotic act Of every
member Of Congress-" answered Repre-
sentative Fitzgerald.
Declared Wrong Way.
There Is a right and wrong way
to do all public business" said Repre-
sentative Sanford. "and this 10 the
wrong way. It couldn't be further
wrong II we tried to make it 30. It is
conrended that after the expenditure
found the District of Columbia has
committed grand larceny to the extent
Of $2500.000." He said the House has
no way Of telling whether this is all
true or not. for there 10 no report on
the subject:
There Is an fashioned, decent
and public way to guard the Treasury"
he continued, but in this way we
haven't anything to show except the
vouchers for the accounting officer.
Can't you do the public business in a
better way?
After Congress adjourns one mem-
Der of Congress can take $500 and in
vestigate. The precedent is bad. It Is
too much open to temptation. Per-
haps we all would like to do a little in
vestigating."
He said. too. that he had no knowl-
edge Of where the accountant that is
to get the $500 lives. but he would
hazard a guess he comes from Ken
lucky.