New Britain herald., 1919-04-04
DESK CHAIR HEROES
 TARGET OF t. Q. P.
Plan Sweeping Investigation Of "Bombproof'' Jobs Held by Some

Washington, April Republican members of the house will demand an inquiry into the "bome,- proof" jobs they declare were given by the war 1 and navy departm ents to rich young men or sons of wealthy and inf1uen- Jial citizens to save them from the draft
 resolution for q thorough inves- tTgation of the reports that several thousand men of draft age were tucked away in the departments at Washington is now being prepared and will be introduced soon after the house meets. It will assert, in the preamble, that many men of means were given commissions to remove them from the Jurisdiction of their local draft boards.
 A dragnet is to be used in this in quiry. One of the requests will be for the fileo of the offices of the secretaries of the army and navy. In that way. all of the correspondence leading up to such appointm ents will be made public.
 It is charged by republicans that certain democrats used their posi- tions on important committees to get sons of favorite constitL ents in bomb proof places in the army or navy or shipping board while the sons of less fortunate men Were sent to the front to fight. It is alleged that one Well-known house committee chair man secured such positions for six young men from his district
 After Swivel Chair Brigade
 It is understood now that Repre- tot I,,;4 ID
 Knutson of Minnesota will be select cd to conduct this investigation.
 Coupled with this inquiry will be one to ascertain the number of com missioned men held in the service without definite work or plans. This will reach many young men in Wash ington who belong to the "swivel- chair" brigade.
 This is not to be a part of the formal program of the republicans Majority Leader MondcIl has stated that the principal work of the house will be the consideration of construc- tive legislation, but, while this is going on, sucn active members as Representatives Miller of Minnesota, Rodenberg, Graham and Britten of Illinois; Zihlman of Maryland and others of the committees on expendi- lures will be busy Investigating.
 The entire housing plan and pro- gram for war workers will be in vestigated thoroughly. A request for the number Of people cared for in the hotels for war workers on the Union Station Plaza and the number of persons employed to look after them will be made to the proper authori- ties. Republican congressman claim i by 601 employees.
 To Ask Sweeping Inquiry. Representative Graha m of Illinois is preparing a resolution asking for authority to investigate the expendi- lures Of the war depa "tment. He will make sweeping inquiry into the letting of contracts and purchasing of supplies. One of the charges that will be gone into is to the effect that some contractors were turned down on war camp construction contra cts and all of the fat jobs went to big contractors who reaped quite & har- vest. It is alleged that big con- tractors were permitted to get the big profits and them turn the jobs over tp smaller contractors. The post office departm inves- tigation, to be. conducted by Repre- sentative zihlman, is 10 be a. broad one. It will cover the taking over and operating of the wire systems. The charges of the Postal Telegraph and Cable company that the depart ment is boosting rates to help the Western Union and take care of in- crease in wages will be a feature.
 The investigations to be made will be authorized early after congress conVenes so that whatever is brought out can be used for campaign pur- poses.