The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-12
TO INVESTIGATE
BURLESON'S WORK
h. - ~
Thorough Inquiry by, Con-
gress Into Post Office
Department
NO PERSECUTION OF
POSTMASTER GENERAL

Second Committee May Look Into Ad-
ministrative Work of the Department
Other War Expenses Will Be
Investigated.
WASHINGTON, May l0.-'In view OF
the widespread demand for the removal
of the postmaster general, | do not hest
tate to state there will be an investiga
ton of the expenditures in his depart
ment."
With this statement Representative
Frederick n Zihlman of Maryland made
the first definite announcement coming
from a committee chairman OF plans TO
investigate Mr. Burlesons activities Mr..
Zhlman is slated to be head of the com
mittee on expenditures in the postotiee |
department and is ready to call the com
mittee as soon as it is organized. Quick
action is expected and the investigation
may be started in two weeks after thel
session opens.
| Mr. Zihlman is for a careful inquiry
into the expenditures of every penny IN
| the department The scope of the in
lquiry remains to be determined. The
Ieommittee on expenditures has made com
Ipafatively no examination III five or SIX
years Many Republicans think the en-
tire administration of Mr. Burleson should
be overhauled to find out where and for
what purpose the moneys have been used.
The administrative side does not come
within the jurisdiction of his committee,
according to Mr.. Zihlman, but within that
Of the committee on postoffices and post
roads. The chairman of that committee,
! Mr. Stevenson, has already announced
he would pass for early action ON has res
olution ordering the wires immediately
returned to private hands. He will re.
turn to Washington this week and COM
lplete the final draft of his resolution for
introduction as soon as congress meets.
Party leaders support him and Will work
to give him a chance to act at once.
"A thorough but fair investigation OF
the expenditures in the postotfice depart
4 ment will be conducted said Mr.. Nhl-
1 man Investigations of the various de
/ partments of the government are nevi
n table, following the world war. During
n the war criticism was considered unpatrl
4 otic. Not only were unheard of sums
e appropriated and spent, but many prece
dents broken and the widest latitude
/ was given to the various governmental
t agencies
ii las we have no national budget system
|, people generally viii demand to know
c how the various departments We're con
5, Quoted when no accounting was possi2It
t and how over S30,Q0000 00Q0,o00 was ex
I pendcl
j In regard to the expenditures OF tn,
" postofiice department have refrainet
VI from making any statement up to thi
s time, desiring to await the action of tn,
leI Republican caucus ON committee assign
n ments, but in view of the widespread de
as mand for the removal Of the postmaste
Is general, | do not hesitate to state Their,
r will be an investigation OF the eXpendi
c lures of his department.
&c Il am fully aware OF the cases wiicl
N have led up to the nationwide criticism
re OF the manner in which the affairs o
s that department have been conducted, es
If. pecally the handling of the telephon
Is. and telegraph lines, where rates have beel
i'll in many instances doubled, while at tn
as same time the service has deteriorated
N 9+These conditions have brought abou
H. q demand from all classes of our peopf
that Mr. Burleson be replaced, but an
investigation made by our committee wi
be tor the purpose of safeguarding tn
peoples interests and with no desire t
persecute Mr. Burleson
PERSONALLY / have never felt that thef
ne was any need for the government to exc
he else the power given it by joint resoll
st ton to take over and operate the line
Id of communication in this country as pr
zi- yafe companies were rendering etficiet
N, service. This is especially true of cable
ut which were really seized after the armi
tiee was signed.
- There is also reason in the complaint
- which reach us daily as to the postt
u ervice, but matters of administratio
d come within the jurisdiction Of the cor
4 mittee on postoffices and post roads. II
Il condition, however, certainly demands
q thorough investigation Of the expenditure
& in that department, and it will be
g complete as is necessary to obtain Il
fullest information as to expenditures al
Il yet without prejudice, or partisanship