The sun., 1919-06-05
HOUSE VOTES FOR
WAR COST PROBE
Speaker to Name To-day Com
mittee Of Is, Including
Five Democrats.
ECONOMY IS DEMANDED
Fess Points Out Expenditures
at Present Rate Will Eat
Up Revenues.
Special Despatch to THn sur.


WASHINGTON, juno 4.-The first step
in the Republican plan to investigate
infinitely all the war activities of the
Administration was taken to-day In the
House, which passed resolution for a
special committee OF fifteen members
to inquire into the vast war expendi,
lures and the manifold activities OF
the War Department
The resolution was adopted without q
dissenting vote. the Democrats opposing,
however, the proposal OF the majority
side that the committee should be COM
posed of ten Republicans and five Demo-
Gratis.
A vote on the previous question after
an hour and twenty minutes debate was
carried on strict party lines and amend
ments which were in Democratic hands
to make the committee nine and six
never got before the House. Speaker
Gillett is expected to name the commit
tee tomorrow.
Democrats Charge Politics.
The debate wore something Of the old
time political aspect. the Democrats
charging that the Republicans were ord
erinS this investigation merely to get
material for the 1890 campaign and Re-
publican leaders countering with the
assertion that no party should be per-
mitted to run the Government under
conditions such as have existed in the
last two years. spend the sums that
have been spent and not have them
inquired into by the body which appro-
pirates the money used.
There was nothing particularly bitter
about the exchanges, Republican lead
ers saying they had no purpose other
than to get the truth and their COL
leagues across the aisle calling atten-
ton to the use Of the gag rule in put
ting the resolution through.
Representative Campbell. Republican,
OF Kansas. brought in the resolution I'M
der a special rule allotting forty min
utes' debate to each side. He opened
the discussion with the assertion that
the country expected a thorough In
vestigation OF the War Department and
has right to expect II.
I'VE do not intend" said he, "that
any person shall be prosecuted; neither
do we intend to see that any guilty FER
son goes unexposed."
do you expect to md anything ?"
interrupted Representative Caldwell
Democrat IN. ".
Il certainly think II possible" re.
torted Mr.. Campbell. 1T has come to
the attention of various members that
great sums have been expended since
the signing Of the armistice, and many
of the items Of expenditure have not
had the approval Of members who
studied the situation"
Representative Pou IN. d., a Demo
crat, said there was no objection TO the
resolution on the part of the minority
IF there has been any rascality." he
said "noSone rs more In favor Of expes-
ing the rascals than the minority on this
floor.''
The purpose OF the Investigation. Rep
resentauve Fess. Republican (Ohio)
said was not simply TO get facts as &c
expenditures, but to give the country
not continue. He pointed out that tn,
Federal Reserve Boards May Statement
showed the monthly Government expen
ditures were S1.4o0. 100000.
Sees Revenues in Peril.
IF expenditures continue at thil
rate" cautioned Mr.. Fess, until the enc
Of the year we will have used up al
available revenues from both borrowing
and tax sources. On January 1 We will
have a deficit of $4,000, 0o0. 900, with 81,
months still to be accounted for. Ever!
one knows that a persistently deter
mined effort is being made to maintain
agencies that were purely war agencie
on the theory that the country will SUI
fer II they are discontinued. The In
vestigation must go on continuously
We cannot see the end OF it,
Representative Garrett, Democra
(Tenn) told tho new members of tn
House they were to see an exhibition
of gag rule and steam roller method
on the part Of the majority. He pointe
out that in Investigations conducted b.
the Democrats when they came into con
troll the proportion of representation O
investigating committees never had bee
two to one
Representative Mondell. Republican
(Wyo), floor leader, said It had bee
the practice of Congress to investigat
vast expenditures made by the Govern
ment departments during every emer
gency.
THE War Department" continued Nj
Mondell, ordinarily spends from $125
900, 900 to $3.50. 100000 a year. Sine