Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-11-08
WHERE MONEY WENT
Is IMPOTANT NATTER.
Let Books Be Opened To Show
Disposition Of Fifty
Billion Dollars.
(By Smell Smith,

SiC1h ShOW in6 liduC Va tnC CApCHul-
ture of fifty billion dollars of the
peoples money for war purposes.
Whatever the immediate outcome
Of the present negotiations, 1t is self
evident that Germany is beaten to
her knees, that the war is almost
over, and that the next Congress
will deal with reconstruction alone.
This becomes especially patent when
1t is remembered that the members
who are victorious at the polls, will
not take Office until a year from De-
cember unless they are called into
special session in March.
What, then, is to become Of the
examination Of the financial record
of the past two years and Of the
auditing Of the enormous accounts?
s asked. Shall the pilifers of the
Treasury, If there are any. be al
lowed to give themselves a clean bill
of health? Certainly it cannot be
expected that any administration
will be willing to 60 very thorough
ly into evidence of its own rascal
ity. But with the legislative branch
of the government in control of an
opposition which in the past has
made an unvarying record for prob
ity in money matters, and which
has every incentive for revealing
the waste 1t has witnessed, and
been powerless to prevent. 1t is an
ticipated that the taxpayers who
have borne the burden may be en-
tertained with the facts regarding
unparalleled extravaganza.
A Concrete Instance
Without entering into the great
mass of testimony regarding Demo-
cratic methods and results one con-
crete instance may be cited which
is glazing enough in itself. This
was given by Congressman James
w. Good. Of Iowa, Republican men,
Der Of the House Appropriations
committee who is etermined to
prevent steals under the very noses
of people keyed up to patriotic
enthusiasm. OF the cold facts he
told his colleagues
Between March %, 1913, and
May IA. 1914, the Secretary of the
Navy sold as junk. 80 6-inch naval
guns for $4,000 eleven of them at
S78.67 each). A man by the name
Of Bannerman having acquired
these guns. he offered them to the
War Department when we entered
the war at price the government
might think was just, and subse-
qnently offered to sell the mounted
guns at $500 each and the un-
mounted ones at 5000. This is
the highest price fixed on the guns
by Bannerman. Then the Secretary
OF war sent his estimates to Con-
gress. and in them included an item
Of $450.0O0 for the thirty Banner
man 6-inch guns. Here then, is an
estimate for $450.000 for thirty
guns which were necessary accord
ing to the statement of the Secre-
tary of War; $4,000 apiece to buy
them from Bannerman. who said he
never asked such a price, He says
he never asked half as much for
those guns. We can but refer the
error back to the author We must
go back to the fountainheads from
which the estimates come. am
not willing to throw the responsible
ity for this gross inefiiciency on1
some poor bureau CHIEF or some
officer. I will place the
responsibility where 1t belongs,
where Congress placed 1t on enact
ing the law. First. the secretary
of the Secretary Of the navy had
no business selling the guns for this
ridiculous price. If he was intend
ing to sell them for junk in 1913
and 1914. 1t was not necessary for
him to equip them with the 1912
model, the reason for his repurch-
ssing them. He should not have
sold those gums at all"
A Democrats Comment
This is evidence given by a re-
witness. Senator Martin.
+ Virginia. Democratic leader OF
he Senate and chairman of the APP
committee of that body
aid; 1T is appalling to see the
! eedom with which our money is
icing called for by our administra-
i've departments and is being ap-
Ia opriated by Congress- This bill
anne from the house and 1t had not
een here more than three days be-
ore we received over $400,000,0OO
{ additional estimates that had not
ven been presented to the house.
I'tho the house had passed the bill
arrying over $1,000. 100000, 1 say,
D less than three days we received ,
stimates of over $500. 100000 in ,
edition: and do not think l haz-