South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-13
CONGRESSIONAL
INVESTIGATION

PRO-GERMAN FABRICATION" PLANTS.
It becomes more and mere evident as the con
gressional investigations ;hey are not
fact Investigations in truth. pouti-
cal captrap for party that is itching return 10
power. that such. they developing into
the finest little pro- German fabrication" factories
that have yet infested climes. kaiser Wilhelm,
scarcely needs import ms propaganda any more
Certain of American statesmen" so-called and
certain members of that angelic national council os
defense. will henceforth II seems though by in
advertance perhaps. strive take OF that for
him.
Recent attacks upon sec'y OF War Baker and his
testimony before the investigation committee.
particularly point framed in query. and no
difference how answered. SO Is supply thunder for
the republican press-of the all for party and none
for state variety. The treatment accorded Herbert
c. Hoover. food administrator others prominent
in administration. confirm the purpose Il begins
to appear more and more that particularly ths
national of defense made up dollar year.
patriots. mainly ladies aid society
to the republican party.
This particularly ;rue with reference 10 The
purchasing committee of the council several Il
whom least appear TO have used their position Il,
secure contracts with firms with which they are con
nected at huge profits, sometimes for inferior quail
tiles OF goods-perhaps calculated to make up for
their dollar a year patriotism. Then the war de-
department.
possible department under democratic appointments
taken to task and blamed for the councils more
or less apparent chcanery. one suggestion OF the
investigation strikes us favorabIy
through it all It is the calls for govern
ment department of munitions and supplies.
Give something of that kind send the dollar
year patriots
However. administration seems TO understand
the purpose Of the Investigations. and the various
secretaries have given them cold facts supplemented
by their calm Judgment. and go that. II is
a notable fact that about TIE most bunglesome bits
of work that have been done to the war have
been the work itself and the country SEES
through it, It has done little delay and ball things
up. since the started. giving the administration
what it has asked for in general but by no means
in particular. sec'y Baker handed the senate a we'll
deserved slap in the face informed il that tie
government sometimes needed appropriations before
It could well order certain things stating in sub
stance that it is always to take chances on
what fool congress will explained the DELAY ina
making certain contractsit being the purpose Of tho
government to conduct the something OF a
business basis
The public memory is short as 10 forges
the dallying that congress did with the war appro
prations bill. the espionage law, shpbuIdinz bin
and number Of other important measures the early
Of last vhoIe congress did pretty
well at that but still il tied the administrations hands
to a number of things two to five months
OF course the administration should have gone on
and done these things whether they any authority
TO or not. but il it had then there have been
yell on the other side. Anyhow in the apparent es
tmaton OF certain Of the investigating committee
men, and OF certain republico- Journalistic buncombe
dispensers as bills were passed they shoulI
have been in fun execution and little more to be done
On quite the principle the war should have
been at the declaration OF war was
passed That and nothing less would have been win
ming the war soon possible by a democratic ad-
ministration. chronicay viewed by republican
politicians type OF "copperheadsm" just as pro
Germanisic in psychological effect as the Junk that
the pro-German propagandists disseminate from
Berlin