The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-24
Scandal Not Indicated ByMuscle Shoals Report
Three Men Spent Thirty Days Sheffield in Effort to Unearth Crime = Preliminary Reports Indicate Waste of Money Incident to
 War Conditions
Nv HUGH w. ROBERTS

Washington. September 23-(SpeciaL) It develops from sections of a preliminary report filed by Chairman Graham of the investigating committee named to ascer- tain scandal, if possible, in the adminfs- tration's conduct of the war, that three men spent 90 days lin Sheffield for the purpose of unearthing crime in connec- ton with the construction of the nitrate plants.
 The result of the % days work on the part of the three trained investigators is not made public It is hinted, however that in the opinion of the chairman, | things of an unsavory character were un- earthed.
 MT. Graham states that as result oi
 his preliminary report, criminal proceed 1 ings should be, and he believes Will De- instituted. He protests by all his gods l that the investigation was not made Ter political purposes anu as if in extenua- | tion, declares that majority or tnoSo firms which got the money were heaoeI by republicans Inasmuch as evidence ot
 waste will bear directly on the dispensing rather than the recalving and the state | ment of the chairmag appears neon gruous. do. The investigation, which has been under
 way for several months and Will pc coh7 \ tinued indefinitely, has cost the govern, ment S60 900 already, an amount eSeeeoe0 fhv inc cost of only one other lnvestlsa- +ior hv Congress. h Investigating the money trust, some years ago, $6l,ooo WIS | spent :. . ,ai- l From the preliminary report it IS lnol- 1 cated that there was waste or Ihoios That such would be developed no oi.e | connected with the administrator denied. War is expensive, 1t IS: polnte'i out. and doubly expensive when It IS l'eSs ;s essary to prepare ever hishe' thought improbable that graft on the part 1 other than a minor employe of the | govarnment will be urearthed. There Y | soid +o he no question but that the re nuhlicans will be unable to conVlce "ee retarv of War Baker of maltease.ancss land that was the purpose, It IS oelies so5 ss,+, of the forces in Congress whlch uiiiooe the dogs on the trah. ,,os+;.
 Tbera is no indication that the invest, gators have found a scanoai at ,,aI,,aa 1'asa Shoals. There was extravagance alio" en, if ie judged probable, but 1t IS salo 'o ~
 n.rtain that no graft traeeable to an ,, III.
 ,or+ont source was discovered. ne a'
 three agents of the committee spent 1'
 davs in north Alabama, went LII,
 FN oOo letters and communications anu l..tt
 the;r compilation of d6ta setting ior 'r,- U.
 the routine of business procedure. ln'
 conclusions of the committee, based o' tbis date, have not beer published. .,, It is said to be the intention ;tta. or 'tr tf committee to send it's sub-coInIhi''eT comm ,ne, q, Muscle Shoals. As is recallea, "na ,s.
 some time ago the suo-conlni.'es st wa,
 nranaring to leave Washington It w t,,,
 r,a"'ad a,, en account Of the refusal of th'
 attornev % general to reveal what he knee a.'oi 're 5;tions surrounding the construc , W tion of the Muscle Shoals plants la ra ] withheld his information untl tor It fsa ma cornnietelv verified or established for lea z tbat if would have permitted the essap ,,, Q of someone he thought posslDis s,,nda n cated in great waste CT puoae loon,rni, ', tee,s aeparture is Octoler l.