The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-06-19
INVESTIGATION INTO WAR
COSTS is NOW ASSURED
Republicans Adopt Graham Resolution
Authorizing Special Committee


| Authorizing Special Committee
A sweeping investigation of the vast
expenditures for the war is assured
says special from Washington.
The House. following a number Of
brief but forceful speeches from
prominent members Of the majority,
adopted the, Graham resolution for al,
investigation by special COMMITTEES
of fifteen into the expenditures of
the War Department.
The investigation will be made By
the original, committee on expendi.
lures in the War Department en-
larged to fifteen. Representative
Graham of Illinois. one of the young.
er members of the House an able
and vigorous individual, lawyer
by Profession, will head the com.
mittee. The plans of the committee
will be formulated as speedily as
practicable.
Apprehending the consequences Of
opposition; the minority members
did not vote against the resolution.
That the inquiry will take a wide
scope is fully anticipated. While it
relates primarily to how the public
money in vast sums was expended,
this of course, involves practically
an inquiry into the conduct of the war.
AS far as possible, Implications Of
inquiry as between House and Senate
will be avoided. Plans for investi.
eating the Bureau of War Risk In.
surance are being matured. AS was
indicated by Leader Mondell before
the House rules committee, in cases
where the Senate is going deep into
a particular subject, the House will
steer clear of it.
The determination of the Re-
publicans in Congress to make thor
ough inquiry into the manner in
which the public's money was ey-
pended during the war simply means
that the time has come when Con.
gress and the people are to know,
at last, what has become of the vast
lump sum- appropriations which
were asked for so insistently by the
Democratic administration; and which
were provided so literally and I'M
complainingly by Republicans and
Democrats alike.
During the progress of the war;"
said Representative Graham of IlIi-
rois, "the head if the various de-
partments came before Congress and
requested billions of dillars be ap-
propriated-not, as in ordinary time,
for definite and limited purposes,
but in lump sums-leaving entirely
to their discretion and personal eff
ficiency the manner in which it was
to be expended. The country was at
war, and we gave them practically
everything they demanded, and in
the exact manner in which it had
been requested. But that did not
mean that the public should never
know what became of these great
appropriations, The war is over and
the time has come for this conven-
lent phrase-'lump sum appropria-
tions'-to be dissected and the
public informed as to whether we
have been wise or foolish to make
appropriations in this manner"
The Republican leader in the
House, Representative Mondel1,
speaking before the Rules Commit
tee in favor of the Graham resolu-
ton, pointed cut that the creation
of this special committee would not
now be necessary if the standing
committees Of the House possessing
exactly similar powers had properly
performed their duties during the
period that the Democrates had con-
troll of Congress.
The investigation into war ex-
penditures proposed by Mr.. Graham y
said Mr. Mondell, "is no dicerent
lIOiAl HI4cI nave DG6H uOUe
each session by the regular commit
tees on expenditures in the various
departments.
''The country will not be COM
PEELED to witness useless and dupli.
Gated Investigations by the Republi-
cans. Our entire program for in
vestigation has been methodically
arranged. There will not be indie.
pendent Investigations of the same
subjects by both the House and
Senate. If the Senate wants to make
the investigation into the colossal
expenditures for aircraft production,
and ordnance. we will give our at.
tention to the other divisions Of the
subject, or vice versa. In this way
we will save time and money, and
keep the public informed without
overwhelming it with overlapping In
quiries seeking the same end"