Evening star., 1917-09-09
COMMITTEE NAMED
ORPOWDER PROBE
Speaker Clark Appoints Nine
From Military Affairs Body.
House Vote Unanimous.

Speaker Clark yesterday appointed a
committee of nine members of the
House to investigate the charges of
defective ammunition sent to Gen
Pershing's forces in France. At the same
time republican members of the House
who have been urging congressional
committee to cooperate with the Presi-
dent in the conduct of the war ex-
pressed the hope privately that the am
munition investigation would furnish
proof that 4 congressional war commit
tee is essential. Representative Ford
ney of Michigan made speech on the
subject late in the day.
The committee appointed by Speaker
Clark is composed of Representatives
Dent of Alabama, chairman of the mill
tary affairs committee; Fields of Ken
lucky, Quin of Mississippi, Gordon of
Gratis; Anthony of Kansas, Mckenzie of
Illinois, Greene of Vermont and Norm
of Pennsylvania, republicans.
Instructed by Resolution.
vestigation was adopted unanimously
by the House. 1t instructS the COM
mittee to inquire into the manufacture
and purchase of ordnance and ammuni-
ton, including small arms and heavy
artillery ammunition already purchas-
ed. and the quality and condition
thereof, for use by the armed forces of
the United States in the present emer-
gency."
The members of the special commit
tee are all members of the military af-
fairs committee. Representative Cooper
of Wisconsin nhiacfad a
tion by members of the military affairs
committee yesterday on the ground
they were too closely associated Of
fcially and socially with the War De-
revised resolution of inquiry was sub
stituted by Representative Dent of
Ala bama, chairman of the military af-
fairs committee. 1t called for COM
mittee of nine members of the House,
whereas the previous resolution speci-
fed a committee from the membership
of military affairs.
When the House adopted the resolu-
ton yesterday, Speaker Clark chose
nine members of the House-but they
all happened to members of the mill
tary affairs committee. Representative
Kahn of California, ranking member of
that committee would have been an
pointed had he not begged to be ex-
cused in order to take a much-needeu
vacation.
The members of the House who have
been endeavoring to create a war CO.
operation committee, in spite of the
PreSidentS unWillingneSS on the mat
ter, believe they see in the ammunition
investigation an opportunity to prove
the merit of their contention They
also claim that testimony of various of
ficials before the appropriations COM
mlttee of the House shows that closer
relationship between Congress and the
executive departments is necessary
Representative Fordney's speech on
the subject of war cooperation COM
mlttee related many details connected
with the congressional committee
which co-operated with Lincoln in the
civil war.
No student of civil war history can
dispute or doubt said Representative
Fordney. that it was largely because
of the untiring efforts of the committee
on the conduct of the war, and especial
ly of Senator Chandler that the coun-
try was prepared for the removal from
command of incompetent men. who had
been popularity idoliZed. and support OBJ
tained for President Lincoln in his diff
hcult task of supplanting them.
Quotes Presidents Words.
Coming down to present times, Rep
reSentative Fordney spoke of Presi-
dent Wilson's first visit to Congress.
and quoted part of the Presidents
address at that time.
When he first came before u.s." said
Representative Fordney, president
Wilson said he wished to show US that
he was a human being trying to CO.
operate with other human beings in
service
In this s~co-operation he has his duties
to perform, and just as surely we have
ours Now, following not AN ominous
precedent of half century ago, but
the illuStriouS example of wise and