The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-30
Hog Island and War Graft.

Extravaganza? Waste? Yes. But
graft and fraud? No. This summar-
ICES the worst aspects of the report Of
the department of justice on its investi-
cation of the Hog island ship yard en-
terprises Of the American international
corporation, several months ago There
is comfort even in such a report. Elk
trsvagance, waste, failure of actual costs
to square with original estimates, faulty
management-these are characteristics of
a huge project put through under the
most abnormal conditions of haste TO meet
a war emergency, But graft and fraud
deliberate rascality, a conscious effort to
plumber ones government in its time of
need
The aircraft probe by Mr.. Hughes also
revealed practically no conscious pilfer-
ing and robbery of the government
There had been INSTALLATIONS and mis-
management and exasperating delays; Of
waste of money there was not little,
but the men responsible fro the produc.
ton of aircraft and the development If
the aircraft industry came through viz
tually stainless in a moral sense. Several
officials cited as having violated criminal
statutes palpably committed only tech
meal offenses, and they have been par
doned by the president without a single
protest being registered Even Colonel
Deeds, perhaps the most harshly critt-
cized official in the aircraft production
division, has just been highly praised ky
a British expert for invaluable services
to his country.
That there should have been so little
stealing of money by officials, who had
in charge the expenditure of hundreds of
millions of dollars, should be a source
Of deep satisfaction, We may not vet
know the whole truth Later investi-
cations into the various war activities
may disclose a rottenness of administra-
tion, yet the lifting of the lid in air
craft construction and in shipbuilding
at Hog island has been thus far reassur-
ing, even beyond what might have been
hoped.
The Hog island extravagances, too,
must be viewed with some degree of len
iency. The original estimates of the cost
of the plant were absurdly low, as it
now appears, but so were the original
estimates of the cost of the Panama
canal The Hog island enterprise was
leap in the dark, so far as estimates
were concerned; in fact, it was necessary
to undertake it regardless of cost, owing
to the serious menace of the German
submarine war No American at that
time cared if money were wasted if only
ships could be built in a hurry.
Speed and not economy was the guild
Of In L
vast swamp and turned it into the
largest shipyard in the world. They i'm
mediately ran into the severest winter
known in America for so years and were
thus handicapped beyond all forecasts Of
the possibilities of adverse weather. The
wages of labor mounted rapidly as the
war went on, but Hog island had to have
the wotkmen at any price.
1t is not a strong point of the indct-
ment that Hog islands actual contribu-
ton Of new ships to the general stock
of the allies was almost negligible. The
plant and its tremendous p0tentiality
was an important factor in breaking
down the morale of the German people,
who unexpectedly stopped fighting be.
cause they were convinced that it would
be useless to continue the war.
There are legitimate points of differ
ence between the government and The
Hog island builders as to costs of CON
struction and these are proper subjects
for inquiry. No unreasonable profits
should be conceded. After all the crit
csm has been heard, however, the fact
remains that Hog island was part of the
machine that won the war. 1t would be
pity, furthermore, if the great ship
yard were not to be utilized in time of
peace for the development of the Amer
lean merchant marine. - Springfield Re-
puhliran