The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-07-10
CHARGE CLIQUE
RULED nation
N WORLD WAR
Probe Committee Asserts Presi-
dent Established "Secret Gov
eminent" Through Council Of
National Defense. .
BIZ Associated Press.

Il O0lNA VA AO AVAOA0C DCAOLS
war was declared, in absolute vio-
lation of law aud thereby created
a sesecret government of the Unit
ed States which formulated war
legislation. dictated policies the
country WIS to- pursue, and be-
friended big. busiaess," were
made today by Chairman Ora
ham, of the special House commit
tee investigating war department
expenditures.
Minutes OF the council were
read to the committee by MI. Ora
ham, together with a report in
which he asserted the council as
sumed such broad powers that Ma
jor General Goethals, former chief
of the purchase, storage and traf-
fe division Of the wal depart.
ment, defed it.; cabinet members
protested against it's activities and
Judge Gary, chairman OF the
board Of the United States Steel
corporation, accused it of operat-
ing in fragrant violation Of law
The advisory committee of the coun-
Gil of national defense val composed
of Hollis. Godfrey, Howard E.. Coffin.
Bernard NJ. Baruch, Samuel Gompers,
Franklin Fl. Martin, Julius Rosenwald
and Daniel Willard.
Mr.. Graham declaraS the president
created the secret government" by
| ignoring and reversing the intent Of
congress in authorizing the establish
ment OF a council Of national defense in
August, 1916. AS authorized by con-
gress, he said, the council was to- be
composed OF SIX members OF the cab
met, who. were to the rea executives,
and seven civilians to be selected by
the president, who were to act in a
purely advisory capacity. Instead OF
doing this. Mr.. Graham asserted. the
president made the advisory commits
sion the real executives clothing them
with unprecedented and almost illimit-
able powers"
Designed War Measures.
Behind closed doors, weeks and wen
'lonths before war was declared he
aid, these seven men designed prac-
.ically every war Measure which con-
gress subsequently enacted: They de-
vised the entire system OF purchasing
war supplies. planned u press censor
ship. designed O. system Of food control
and selected Hebert Hoover rs its di-
rector and even determined on the day
light saving scheme.
Conceived within the law, but
brought into existence in absolute vio-
lation of law, it Is not surprising to
find that this secret government Of the
United States itself persistently ig-
nored n ever violated the law, that
1t allowed interested parties to fix the
prices of war supplies: that 1t put the
people Of the country to incalculabIe
unnecessary expense n carried
things with = high hand"
Cocktails Action.
Mr.. Graham declared that when Ma
jor General Goetha5s was called at
the eleventh hour. to rescue the war
department from III public obliquy.
which was fast settling upon 1t as a
result of the methods and i~ncapacity
Of the commission, he repudiatcd and
practically. defied it. '
Our soldiers were actually dying
Of pneumonia in the camps because of
lack OF proper clothing ard blankets.
Mr.. Graham said, land General Go
that's assumed the duties of quart.
master general only or condition
should have free scope in the perform,
ance OF his duties, unhampered by Tia
council of national defense.
Immediately he took from the mem
hers of that council their power to or
der purchases and fix prices n soon
dispensed with the services Of those
members of the advisory commission
who had so deplorably bungled the
control of supplies for the army"
Judge Gary advised he advisory
commission, Mr.. Graham said. that 1t
was operating in disregard OF the
Sherman law, the Clayton law and "all
other statutes that are supposed to
regulate business, particularly big
business
When the attorney general was called
upon by the commission to answer
Judge Gary. Mr.. Graham said, he an
swered that the matters referred to as
violations of law were matters of ma
tional policy" rather than a legal ques-
ton.
Alleges Subterfuse.
Afterwards. Mr.. Graham declared.
when there was evidently a discussion
In congress as to the illegality of mem
bers of the committees on the council
buying from themselves, the council
discussed the general policy. and it was
suggested that this embarrassment
might be removed by M plan OF the
committee reorganization nav under
consideration. .'
The INMATES show that on account
Of this so called embarrassment the
industries board was created n com
mittees were appointed by the national
chamber Of commerce so the letter OF
the iaw might be complied with, hui
by which scheme no part OF the method
OF buying was changed In ia" slightest
degree so far as I can observe"
Discussed Draft Early.
Citing cases In which he said TIT
council formula tstff egtsiation before wa
was dccia red. which legislation latei
was considered by congress. Mr.. era
ham declared that on February Is. 1917
the ccuncil discussed The draft system
and considered a report from Commits
sioners Samuel Gompers and Howard
{E. Coff.n. role tive 10 tho exclusion o
Sabor from military service: on th'