The Washington times., 1919-09-21
SENSATIONS
INWAR DEPT.
PROBE LIKELY
Cong. Graham Predicts Prose-
oution WHl Follow Congress
siOnal Investigation.

cbsIrman william J. Graham, Of
the select House COMMITTEES, investi-
rntinr TIE expenditure Of &1aooo,o0o,'
ooo ~ the war Department, promises
,ors srtrrtIinr disclosures" when the
Cornu,ittee makes itg dFst formal re-
uort 10 the House early next week
TTnder the provisions Cf the resolu-
ton creating the iuVestiEatinG ecLl-
n1ittee. feports may be MED VITA tne
House from time to time as me enAiF-
man may order -,
months delving into the VA -. psl.l
rneut records and goiuG through o4la
Fourishe6 by its agentB who have gone
INTO the departmeut and maee expert
investigation.
sFhey have been putting over the
raweat suH I ever heard or 4r'
Graham said today. There ouBht 70
be some prosecutions and ] beileNe
there VIII be-"
~ Graham said the committee
would aie with its report recon-.
mandaticns that the Deper tLnent %. %
Justice 5oin hands with the Waf tC5 -
nartrnent n prosecuting certain oai-
eiaIe OF che war Department ana GER
trfn interests who have been iuegally
ehoI6fnr uD'' the Government Tor mil
Ifonr 81 dollars when settlement OF
war claims was had.
en- r1n<fnr settlements, they hgure
On the nrodts they would have maoe
had they carried out the contracts
made before the efulstlce -
signed. explained 1Lf. Grahaul- aIin-
dredr 81 millions Of dollars have been
rid 70 corporations that did not de-
liver dollars worth Of stun 70 the
fa---eTr1rrif ["
ne committee and its hve sub.
committees have had consideraole
trouBie "a retting.t the services Of cone
petent Investigators
n. q Hsnne4t Gives EnfoEunfiol'
eve tried out several accounting
firms, but they only turned over 70
oir COMMITTEES g lot Of tables and use
less figures. along with heavy e%-
pense accounts" said Mr. GrehaGn.
eve let them So"
The most valuablg tnlel11- - eel-
gucted for the corluittee Waa tnat SCI
~ d. ]. Bennett, forllerlv emplo@ea
n various capacities bg the Govern
r-euf here After he resigned hll
vork with the Government be "
empIoved BY the House committee
Al 3 salary Of SO q day.
Two investigators from LAe rock
Island Arsenal were also put q work
here By the committe- one is n e1-
pert IA small arms and the otner q
4 leather goods expert Ihey 4re
checking up contracts Tor tnsss SF1-
ieles. -.,
Three investigators went 20 MuBsel
shoals. Ala they spent one month
looking through $1,000 letters ana
nettinE data fos the comuaittee'
Another investigator and q motion
ufcturs maker went % Nitro, W. Va /
Tbey brought back q completed mo
ton picture Showing how lllLloLis
Of dollars were being wasted. gne |
scene "a the picture IS that or tztJCO ]
bales Of cotton r0ttlng on the ground I
uncovered and unprotected
Ayers Claim syBten Lax
There Is an utter lack Of system !
IN the War Department for the set
tIement of war claims" M. GFaham
gaid. eve have been working Tor
elk months trying 70 figure out y nat
-vrtern they follow and We have been
unable. 10 arrive at q decision- Even
the Officials of the department have
not informed rs yet
when q claim is allowed IT passes
through eight, ten or dozen hands
1t Is an endless chain proposition.
eve started in 20 canvass the con
tracts for ordnance where more than
100000 was involved. We discovered
there were more thar 10000 Of these
contracts.
a'Our inveFtiratorB have gOt what
Information they asked Of the War
Department. but they had to be spe-
eI6c before they could set it The de-
BaFtmeut did not 90 out Of itg way tol
dig up duything for them"
Mr.. Graham announced thar the
eommittee would shortly begin an in
vegtiEati0u Of the manner in which
q group Of motion picture men pre-
m0ted the film Fit to Fight" When
the committee intimatsd some weeks
aigo that action would be taken In
that direction. the picture va with
drawn.
BoRe OGlelaI InEOFsemeat.
ssFhe act0rs in The dlm gave their
nsrvices free: q was indorsed By the
public Health Service and various
branches Of the Government Mr..
Graham detailed. I'VE learned that IL
hnd been turned over 20 a private cor
poration 60 be shown for gain. The
promoters capitalized the fact that
IRE picture bore official Endorsement
People paid money for q and to see 4
h because they were led 20 believe 50 Il
vas helping the Government; that ft i
was q patriotic duty"
Democratic leaders have repeatedly 4
charged that the committees investi- i
cation was merely TO get information /
10 be used ia the next Presidential 4
campaign. They have said that since 4
the Democratic Administration Won
the greatest war Of history that Il /
was q victory probe"
ITO those who would argue that the 4
Investigation o. for political puF-
poses. I would say that 90 far our in
vegtfgationg show that the majority
Of those prohting By illegal contracts
and irregular settlement OF war
claims are Republicans" Mr. Graham
declared.
The committee has not yet deter
determined whether TO call General
Pershing before it. a meeting viii
Be held next week TO determine Wheth-
eF-t0 ask him 70 appear.
General PershinE declined 70 ap-
pear before q Eubcommittee of the
committee "a Erance- He explained