Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-16
NO FRICTION OVER
SAFETY MEASURES
GOVERNOR SAYS
Has Not Authorized Expendi-
ture of One Penny of Fund
in Advance
HARMONY AT MEETING
Another Session of Commits
sion Tomorrow at Which
Plans Will Be Discussed

Governor Brumbaugh emphatically
denied to-day that any friction had
arisen between the State Commission
the Pennsylvania Public Safety Com
mittee.
lie also explained that he had not
authorized the expenditure of any
money by the Executive Committee
of the Public Safety Committee.
1t is understood here that s50,000
was advanced to the Executive Com
mittee by DreXel & Co., at the in
stance of E. T. Stotesbury, the Phila-
delphia banker.
Not long after the Public Safety
Committee was organized and its
Executive Committee was appoint
ed" the Governor explained, Mr..
Stotesbury, who, as you know, is
member of the Executive Commit
tee, called me up on the phone from
Philadelphia and suggested that it
might be well to provide funds for
the patriotic work the committee had
undertaken.
Had No Power
Il informed him that, as the meas
ure sponsored by Senator Buckman,
which created the Commission of
Public Safety and Defense, and pro-
vided $2,00O,000 to be disbursed by
it, had not been passed at the time
by the Legislature that l was not in
position to officially. or, otherwise
authorize, the expenditure of any
money by the Public Safety Commit
tee, or its Executive Committee.
II also explained to Mr.. Stotes-
bury that until the passage of the
measure by the Legislature and the
approval of it by myself no State
funds would be available for the
great undertaking the members of
the committee had so generously as
sumed at my invitation.
'Mr. Stotesbury was so generous
as to suggest that DreXel & Co.,
would gladly advance whatever
money the committee might require
until such time as State funds would
be available. / naturally expressed
my appreciation of his liberal offer
but made it very clear to him that
could not authorize such course,
either officially, or, privately, and
that if DreXel & Co, or he, ad-
vanced any money for the expenses
of the committee it would be solely
on their, or, his initiative.
.. Applauds Motive
II desire to say that I believe any
patriotic Pennsylvania would have
appreciated, as / did, the splendid
motive by which Mr.. Stotesbury was
actuated. l was not in q position.
however, to give official cognizance
of his offer and neither he, or Geo.
Wharton Pepper, chairman of the
Public Safety Committee. as we'll as
of its Executive Committee, have
since, although I have talked with
them both since the matter was
broached by Mr.. Stotesbury.
When the other members of the
State Public Safety and Defense
Commission met in my office yes
terday - Lieutenant Governor Nc
Claim, Adjutant General Stewart,
State Treasurer Kephart and Aud
itor General Snyder-there was not
the slightest friction among us-only
the most complete concord and un-
derstanding.
II understand that through the
kind offices of Mr.. Stotesbury $25, 900
was advanced by Drexel & Co. to the
Public Safety Committee, but it was
done without my knowledge or au-
thorization and as for the second
S25, which l am now informed
was advanced, l really had no previ-
ous knowledge of it.
Objects to Extravaganza
Fright now, I want the people of
Pennsylvania to understand that |
would be opposed to any unneces-
sary or eXtravagant use of the states
money for any purpose. 1 regard
the S2,O0O,000 to be disbursed by
the commission of which 1 as gov
ernor a mchairman as a sacred trust.
IT believe that not a single penny
OF the money should be expended
unless it is found absolutely neces-
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