Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-07
HIGH HANDED
WAR RULINGS
BY PRESIDENT
Wilson Under Serious Ac-
cusation Made by House (
Committee.
nELD TO HAVE
VIOLATED LAWS

''~~~~SS ~ ~ Se'sseHS Se'SboO SSe"S't
On Lines Antasonistie to intent Of
statute-sefrisndsd Big Businsss
and Permitted Contracts TO Be Made
at Manufaeturers' Own Price
Council With Unlimited Powers.
Washington, July Charges that
the president orgahized the council of
national defense before war was de-
ciared in absolute violation OF law.
and thereby created secret govern
ment Of the United States which
formulated war legislation, dictated
policies the country was to pursue and
befriended 'bis business" were made
today by chairman Graham Of the
special house committee investigating
war department expenditures.
Minutes OF the council were read to
the committee by Mr.. Graham. to-
sether with q report in which, ne as
serted the council assumed such broad
powers that Major General Goethals,
former chief Of the purchase, storage
and tariff division Of the war depart
ment, defled It; cabinet members pro-
serted the council assumed such broad
Gary, chairman Of the board of the
United States Steel Corporation, ac-
cused II II operating in "flagrant vio-
1ation on law"
Says Wilson Revised Law.
Mr.. Graham declared the president
created the ''secret government" by ig-
noring and reversing the intent OF
congress in authorizing the estab-
lishment OF = council Of national de-
Tense in August. 1915. as authorized
by coaoseess He said the council was
to be composed Of six members Of the
cabinet. who were to be the real ex-
ec1tives, and seven civf1ianA to be
sesects1 ~ the ,pyesident. who we're to
trt 3n . purely advisory capacity. In
sts4d ofsd0lng this. Mr. Graham .hs>,
serted. the president made the advisory
commission the real executives. "clo>
thing them with unprecedented and
almost unlimited powers"
Behind closed doors, weeks and
even months before war was declared
he said. ''the seven men designated
practically every war measure which.
congress subsequently enacted. They
revised the entire system Of purchas-
ing Of war supplies and press censor
ship. designed the new system Of food
control and selected Herbert Hoover as
director. and even determined on the
daylight saving scheme.
Permitted Price Fixing.
Conceived within the law but
brought into existence in absolute
.iolence of the law, it is not surprising
to find this secret government Of the
United States itself persistently ig-
nored and even violating the law. That
IL allowed interested parties to fix the
prices Of war supplies; that it put the
people Of the country to unnecessary
expense and carried things with q
high hand.s
Mr. Graham declared that Major
General Goethals was called "at the
eleventh hour to rescue the war de-
partment from the public obliquy
which was fast settling upon it as the
result OF the methods and the capacity
CT the commission and he repudiated
and practically defied it."
GosthaIs Untansles Tangle.
"Our soldiers were actually dying Of
pneumonia In the camps because Of
lack OF proper clothing and blankets" :"
Mr. Graham said. "And General
Goethals assumed the duties Of quar-
termaster general only on condition
that he should have free scope in the
performance OF his duties unhampered
By the council Of national defense.
Immediately he took from the mem
der purcha1es and fix prices and soon
dispensed With the services Of the ad-
yisory committee. who had deplorably
bungled the control Of supplies for the
army
Judge Gary advised the advisory
commission, Mr.. Graham said, that .t
was operating in disregard OF the
sherman law. the Clayton law and all
..other statutes that are supposed to
regulate business particularly big busi-
ness When the attorney general was
called upon by the commission to an.
swer Judge Gary, Mr.. Graham said, he
answered the matters referred to az
violation OF ilaw were matters of4"na-
tional POLICY" rather than q legal
question.
!: =. sfo::!y y:e!:.:s!:.
AFTERWARDS" Mr.. Graham de-
ciared, when there was evidently a
discussior, in congress as to the illeg-
alityaof members Of the committees on
the council buying Of themselves, the
council discussed its general policy and
A II was. suggested that this embar-.
rassment might be removed by the
plan OF the committee reorganization
now under consideration
The minutes show that on account
OF this so-called embarrassment the
War industry board was created, and
cUmmittees were appointed by the ma
tional chamber Of commerce, 30 the
letter Of os sts.hse s.hse >. !sht he complied
With. hut by which scheme no part Of
the method of buying was changed in
the alishtsst degree, SO far as ] can
cbesrvs.* II n E, 81
Cttjng GaseD van "A syiis,g
cenncil lermuleted legislation befors