Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-08
DECLARES SECRET
REGIME DIRECTED
j. s. WAR POLICIES
Chairman Graham, of Spe-
cial House Committee, At
tacks Defense Council.
ASSERTS BODY OF SEVEN
MEN RULED THE COUNTRY
Claims That Advisory Commits
sion Planned for Strife Be-
fore 1t Started.
GIVEN POWERS BY PRESIDENT
Hollis Godfrey, Howard +. Coffin
and Bernard VI. Baruch Among
Those Named In Hearing.
ASSERTS BODY OF SEVEN
MEN RULED THE COUNTRY
GIVEN POWERS By PRESIDENT
Hollis Godfrey, Howard Z. Coffin
and Bernard VI. Baruch Among
Those Named in Hearing.
rTtv Associated presp

IN" Associated Press1
WASHINGTON. July 7.-Scven men
formed a secret government OF the
United States" which. working be
hind closed doors" determined all o.
the so-called war Legislation weeks
and even months" before war was de-
clared against Germany, Chairman
Graham. of the House committee. in
vestlgat!ng War Department expend!-
lures. charged today after reading into
the record a digest OF the minutes OF
the Council of National Defense
These seven men were named by
Mr.. Graham is Hollis Godfrey. Howard
f. Coffin. Bernard NJ. Baruch. Samuel
Gompers, Franklin II. Martin. Julius
Rosenwald and Daniel Willard. mem
bers OF the advisory committee of the
council. This commission. he added
was designed BY law TO act purely in
an advisory capacity TO the council
composed o. six Cabtne, members. hut
the President. he asserted, made them
the real executives
Reads DiGest of Report.
After Mr.. Graham had read to the
investigating committee digest de-
signed 10 show that the military draft,
food control and press censorship had
several weeks before war vas de-
clared. Representative Reav:s. Repun,
lean. OF Nebraska, interrupt'ns. asked
1: "a!l this was prior 10 the Presi-
dents speech armed neutrality. in
which he said he WAS not contem.
plating war" The chairman answered
affirmatively.
Later IN the recital o, the digest
Sir. Graham satd that censure of the
council and commissions. uttered IN
senate and House. led Mr.. CONN 10
TACT be established between the coun.
eli and Congress. I'm other words"
commented the chairman. congress
ought to be educated.
BefrIends .Big Bu.Ines.."
In brlet Mr. Grahams digest charged
the President organized the council N
violation Of the law and That IN add!,
,ton 10 framing legislation. dictated
hetriended big business" Included
in the report read into the record WAS
n letter by Judge Gary advising tne
commission II was d!sreSarding the
,aws supposed TO regulate business.
CATEGORICAL denial of CHAIRMAN Ora
rams charges was made by Grosvenor
's Clark son. director, OF tae council
in statement issued tonight.
M examination the other DAY ne
fore Mr.. Graham's committee Ar
Clarkson said. showed at the ousse.
tendency on the part OF a ma)or.ly
OF the comrSittee 10 disclose INA. ede
administration had ,h&en no prepared
mesa steps before entering lhe W.
whereas the truth was sna,. os ,Ms ~ ,he
cnuncil OF National Defense, created
by Congress itsel. eight months ne'1se; f,,
great many far-s' nied pia"s na
heen initiated by the council act'as
.,ona az veil as on the advice o. US
advisory commission.
balanced Politically.
.-rhe advisory commtssion or seSea ea
mon was throughout the war coihposvu
Renublicans. as was the huge ma
ioritw Of the councils committees
The councils minutes wn!ch ,,i,h
% me hearty consen, OF Secretary Baker.
chairman OF the council. and voinh
tarily supplemented WIN ,,os .nose hevond
any question that the council mao IN
the most constructive way looked LAT
ahead into the immediate rY tn,urs for 70 var rne
az. is my deliberate judgment tnat
IL the council. utilizing the grea,esdi nd
experts in the leading industries nen,r,i. anu
san way. had not taken its toTeha IN iiatu =,
steps, America would not have iald IN
Industrial resources which MADE pos
slble the winning OF the war: ais
THE councils minutes Mt crnhs nhse m oiIs lie
Addressed himself TO the counc's Sys-
tenn of procuring supplies for the war
Department That matter was threSneo sIst,
tary AfYairs Committee. and the intima-
lions against members OF the councl
committee on supplies died OIL tne!r
own weight at the end OF the hearings
more than year ago
Denie. Any WronEdoinE.
Council committee members under
the stress OF an nnprecedented einer
gency We're undoubtedly in some cases
Dlaced In the apparent position or 40
ing business with themselves, whereas
that never was actually the fact, and
not scintilia OF wrongdoing was ever
disclosed, and il is believed that the
law was complied with throughout"
In his address to the he c2mm;f.ss; Iroa;dsnt
M GrahSm nn yse by
ignoring and reversing tn. intent of
Congress in authorizing the establish
in August, 1916 AS authorized by Con
gress, he said. the council was to be
composed of six members of the Cab
met who were to be the real eXccu.
tives and seven civilians to be selected
by the President who were TO act in
a purely advisory capacity.
Has Much Authority.
Instead of doing this. Mr.. Graham
vlsory commission the real executives.
clothing them with unprecedented and
almost illimitahle powers"
Behind closed doors. weeks and even
months before war was declared he
said, these seven men designed prac-
ticaily every war measure asutsa which a, cSn-
vised the entire system of purchasing
war supplies. planned press censor
ship, designed system OF TOod con-
troi, and selected Herbert Hoover as
It's director, and even determined on
the daylight saving scheme.
conceived within the law but
brought into existence In absolute
violation OF law. 1t is not surprising
to hRd this secret government of the
United States itself persistently ig-
nored and even violated the law; that
II allowed interested parties to fix the
prices OF war materials: that 1t nut the
people Of the country to incalculable
(ContInued on Second Page.)