Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-15

Oppose rrohc of Army tHnir-.
II might he said: incIdentally tiHt
lious" aud senate Republicans and
Democrats alik.--whn agree with tho
above view and who regret that ANY
committee of Congress has unucrtai<.n
TO investigate IN" actual operations of
IN" army. It is quit" I'll ri-;hI. as chcy'
see II. Tor these committees TO inquire
INTO the acts OF the War Departments
10 den"unc" it's hunhcrs aud To con
denim It's policies. but they fear the in
NcS' itat"rS are G"itin" into very dccp
water when they undertake. to pass
Judgment upon the advisahility Of the
ArGonn" offensive, th" drive on the
M"uSc or upon any ether performance
OF the army. as an army.
Another group Of Investigators
Sroup that IS Specializing in aircraft
"rations-aft"r falling down in its
effort to Guido judge Charles r.:
Hughes. recently embarked upon an
excursion TO spruce forests % the Far
West with the expectation Of exposing
sundry scandals. This committee was
secms lost in the jungle ], viii turu
NJ, OF course. IN due sine. and may
have some surprising facts 10 relate
when Il does.
The Walsh group Of investigators
M" IN" merchant marine, also has
o""n temporarily lost 10 view II
struck Il hot trail which led 20 the Pa
cine Coast. j. WAS very warm i'm
Washington when the committee !eft
and very cool in the Far IVES; at that
inmate mat these circumstances had
anything to do with the westward
II has long been a practic. Of adj
ministration officials. il might he re
mark cd. to do their official inspect
ing when il is hottest in Washington
ana coolest in thdS. parts where navy
yards and hshing fleets and fur Sealers
ana army posts and other government
WORKS are 10 be inspected.
Some Inquiries Dragging.
The grand inquiSiticn of the War
department Is not the only proceeding
Of tn" sort that is dragging. and the
rouse committee chair.n"n are not the
only ones who are tearing heir hair
trying to get and keep quorums pres
cnt. over in the Senat. a committee
heated ~ Senator Frelinghuysen is
rms mas been going on Internationally
Tor two or thrre weeks now but at
no time has tho fun committee been
present. and most OF tn" time two
Senator's have faced the room run of
Witnesses. At two sittinSs Senator
Fraiinshuyssssn func,ioned all alone.
hhd at another he himself was absent
most Of The time whilc he was pre-
pairing and delivering his attack upon
Aforementioned Palmer
,,d rns RISavts :s5ubcom,mittee, on tho
whole 1T that mas been able TO ct
substantial results since the wholesale
INTO the policies Of the War Dcpa r, :
| insnt regarding the disposition OF sur
p!uS property. This IS easily tn. most
Vulnerable phase of Secretary BIker's
administration Of the department. a
iact which mas been ahundantly dis
closed during recent weeks
TO the interests unfamil!ar with
congressional practices the funct!Sn-
ing Of the average House or Senate
investigating committee must be Sc
vcrely disappointing. This is ptrticu-
larry true o: those witnesses who are
called from affair. ThcS. teSti.iers gen
orally come in numbers. They are ar-
companicd often by their counsel and
usually bring great lies OF papers and
other documentary exhibits.
They are directed to appear at q
given hour at given committee room.
They arrive nvarably on the minute