The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-07
That Is Charge Made Against
National Defense Council.
Representative Graham Makes
Report of Committee.
SAYS IT VIOLATED THE LAW
Council Befriended "Big Busi-
ness," Report Declares.
President Is Assailed for Per-
sOnnel of Body.

Washington, July Charges that
the president organized the Council of
National Defense before war was de-
ciared, in absolute violation of law
and thereby created a secret govern
ment of the United States" which for
mulated war legislation, dictated poll
cies the country was to pursue, and
befriended big business" were made
today by Chairman Graham of the
special house committee investigating
war expenditures.
Minutes of the council were read to
the committee by Mr. Graham, togeth-
er with a report in which ne asserted
the council assumed such broad pow
ers that Major General Goethais, for
mer chief of the purchase, storage and
traffic division of the war depart
ment. defied it; cabinet members pro-
tested against its activities. and Judge
Gary, chairman of the board of the
United States S;eel Corporation. ac-
cused it of operating in fragrant vio-
lation of law"
A "Secrct Government"
created the secret government" by
ignoring and reversing the intent of
congress in authorizing the establish
ment of a council of national defense
in August. 1916. AS authorized by
congress, he said, the council was to
be composed Of six members of the
cabinet. who were to be the real eX-
ecutives and seven civilians to be Sc
lected by the president. who were to
r in y ro1ra1xF advisory fsar1 Tn
stead of doing this. Mr.. Graham as
serted, the president made the ad-
yisory commission the real executive,
'.clothing them with unprecede
and almost illimftabIe powers"
Behind closed doors, weeks and
even months before war was declared
he said, these seven men designed
practically every war measure which
congress subsequently enacted. They
devised. the entire system of purchas-
iTSg war supplies, planned a. press CEN
sorship, designed a system of food
control. and selected Herbert Hoover
as director, and even determining or
the daylight saving scheme.
! Conceive ed within the law but
| brought into existence in absolute vio-
lation of law, IL is not surprising to
| find this secret government of the
! U n i t d States itself pers:stently
| ignored and even violated the law;
that it allowed interested parties -tc
fix the prices of war supplies; that il
put the people of the country to in
calculable unnecessary expense, and
carried things with high hand"
Mr., Graham declared that when
| Najor General Goethals was called
| ''at the eleventh hour to rescue the
war department from the public
| Obliquy which was fast settling upon
it as a result of the methods and in
/ capacity of the commission, he re-
pudiated and practically defied the
council"
Our soldiers were actually dying
Of pneumonia in the camps because
! of lack of proper clothing and blan-
kets,' Mr.. Graham said. "and General
| Goethals assumed the duties of quar-
termaster general only on condition
| he should have free scope in the per
/ formance of his duties, unhampered
by the Council of National Defense.
| Immediately he took from ths
members of that council their power
/ to order purchases and fix prices anc
soon dispensed with the services ot
those members of the advisory com.
mission who had so deplorably bun
| gled to control of supplies for Tho
army"
Gary Makes a Protest.
i Judge Gary advised the advisory
| commission, Mr.. Graham said, that i
was operating in disregard of the
/ Sherman law, the Clayton law. and
/ ''all other statutes that are supposed
| to regulate business. particularly bis
| business" When the attorney gen
eral was called upon by the commits
sion to answer Judge Gary. Mr.. Ora
ham said. he answered that the mat
| ters referred to as violations of Law
| were matters of national policy
rather than a legal question.
! Afterwards" Mr.. Graham de
clared, when there was evidently
| discussion in congress as to the IL
| legality of members of the COMMITTEES
on the council buying from them
selves. the council discussed this gen
eraI policy and it was suggested tha
/ this embarrassment might be removed
| by the plan of the committee reorgan
! ization now under consideration
/ The minutes show that on accoun
! of this so-called embarrassment tn,
war industries board was created, anC
committees were appointed by the ma
tional chamber of commerce. SO tn.
letter of the law might be complied
with, but by which scheme no part o
the method of buying was changed il
| Contiued on Page FfveD