The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-13
DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.

DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
/ As was apparent from the presidents item
>ized list of certain expenditures at the confer
ence his bill of about two million dollars COW
cred only part, and seemingly a small part, OF
the cost of negotiating peace. The house by
resolution asked the chief executive for de-
tailed statement of his expenditures from the
| ffty-million and the one characterization dis
Icretionary funds placed in his hands. In com
lpliance with this request the president reported
+ that something over forty seven millions has
been paid out of the fifty million fund; and he
lis expected to tell congress without great delay
what part of the one hundred-million has been
expended and how:
Charged against the fifty millions is one mil
hon, seven hundred AMI fifty thousand dollars
for peace conference expenses at Paris The
items are all in lump sums, as, for example, to
the state department for the American commits
sion to negotiate peace, five hundred thousand
dollars, and so on Congress will have to call
witnesses to learn the details of these expendi-
lures, and expects to do So 1t is this fund that
Barney Baruch tapped for one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars; but what use he made
of that tidy sum does not appear as yet. Doubt
less he will throw light upon it, if it is not
deemed incompatible with the public inter
est that he should do so. IF some of these
lump sum items include the salaries or honor
ariurns paid to Heron, Bullitt, Steffens and
other experts" the fact probably will come
out in time Possibly also the country will
learn the rent cost Of the Paris palaces occu-
pied by the president and by Colonel House,
what the presidents trips to Italy and else
where cost, what the European outings OF Sec
retaries Baker and Daniels cost and what sal
aries the commissioners to negotiate peace and
the one thousand, three hundred Hotel Crillon
"experts'' drew. The total thus far appears
to be nearer four millions than three, but we
shall not know with certainty what the coven-
ant cost us until it is clear what drafts, If any,
were made for that purpose on the one hundred
million fund.
One thing, however, probably may be regard
ed as settled, which is that presidents will not
soon hereafter be subjected to the trouble and
ANNOYANCE of itemizing the use made OF discre-
ltionary funds; for it seems safe to say that no
more such funds will be created. Washington
and Lincoln fought their wars without them.
Mckinley had fifty millions put at his disposal
because it seemed expedient to make prepare
tons for certain eventualities likely to arise
before open proclamation of our governments
inlans Perhaps no crisis for many years to
come will suggest the creation of another dis
eretionary fund. Let us hope so. For their
effect is to make the executive branch lndepend-
emit Of the legislative branch and promote dis
harmony between them. The relations between
The president and congress would be closer and
more cordial if no discretionary fund had en-
abled him to act .on his own initiative, ignor-
ing the popular branch of government and
public sentiment in negotiating peace.