The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-26
SHIPPING BOARD PROBE ORDERED
 BY COMMITTEE
Charges Against Emergency Fleet Corporation and U.
 s. Builders Listed.
DEMOCRATS STRONGLY
 FAVOR AN INQUIRY
Oppose Separate Group for Purpose, But Are Beaten
 By Republicans.

Washington, July 26.-Complete in- l vestlgation into the United States Shipping Board and the Emergency 1 Fleet Corporation was ordered by the House when it passed the resolution, i introduced by Representative Walsh, of Massachusetts, calling for the ap- | pointment of a special committee of six for that purpose. The Democrats. after raising the cry that the investi gation was political propaganda, made it unanimous by voting in favor of the resolution.
 Five specific points of inquiry were cited by Representative Shell, of New York. in urging the adoption of the resolution ordering an investigation into a concern the program of which, he said, involved three and q quar- ter billion dollars and the construction , of 349 ships of a total of 13,9O0,0OO tons. He charged:
 l. 1. That land was bought at Hog Island for s1,7o0,O00 which a few months previous had been offered for SSOO,00O.
 2. That when there was a great i>lemand for ships some plants fully equipped to construct wooden ships, | which were then still in favor, were unable to secure contracts from the Shipping Board.
 Turned Over to Another Line. 3. That in the case of the ships of the Edgar Luckenback Line, ships 1 were communicated at the beginning of the war with the understanding that they would be returned, but were subsequently turned over to another privately owned line, a di- rector of which was high in the Shipping Board.
 4. That ships were delivered which imm ediately had to be repaired and i were later sold for a fraction of their original cost He cited Red Cloud, 4 delivered on August 2S and laid up October 30 for s50,000 worth of boiler repairs. Another ship by the same company, he said, four days after delivery required s50,000 worth of repairs. Then, he declared, ship costing $75O,OO0 was held for s200,- 900.
 5. That when private firms came to buy government ships at cost, one firm had charged back S1,o0O,0oO of such cost which It was claimed had been expended for such matters as athletic supplies, cigars, contribu- tions to chambers of commerce, membership dues and subscriptions to Elks' conventions
 Representative Pou. of North Caro- ) by objectine not to the investigation - itself, but to the manner of its being lheld---by another than the Com nmittee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
 This is going to be known in his tory the investigation Congress" :" he said. We Democrats, however, are glad to have the time come when we can nail 1nnumerable lies and islanders that have been going around.
 ! erav nj bound to occur. State Department re- ports show that German spies in this country reported to Berlin that there seemed no end of money and deter imitation to win the war at any cost.
 The time of generosity in politics has passed. All that Is but a scheme to lay the fourdation for the 1920 campaign But just go to it, gentle men ,all you want. We predict the following things will be shown:
 That America won he war at least twelve months sooner than expected.
 That the efforts of the navy and other agencies in getting two million men abroad have never been equalled
 That never was as great a task done with so little graft and so great efficiency.
 That President Wilson will rank with the five greatest Presidents of this country"
 Representative Garrett, of Tennes- see, declared it strange that the Re !. publicans should want to investigate when efforts had been male to show that the War Department had sur rounded itself with weak men who al lowed great Republican manufactur- CTS to put it all over them" n The resolution adopted read:
 Resolved, That the Speaker ap- = point select committee of six mem bers of the House, and that sucf committee be authorized and direct - ed to inquire into the operations ot the United States Shipping Board . and the United States Emergency Fleet Corporation, or any agency : branch or subsidiary of either, saic inquiry shall include an investigation l. of contracts, leases, expenditures receipts and any and all ansaction l. of the said United States Shippin, Board, the Emergency Fleet Corpor ation, and any other corporations firms individuals. or agency tn an, way associated with controlled ol = regulated by the said board O.
 Emergency Fleet Corporation. Flo
 the purpose of said inquiry the com
 mittee shall have power to send fo
 persons and papers. administer oath
 and afirmations. take testimony, t
 sit during the sessions of the Hous
 or during any recess of the House l. and may hold its sessions at sucl
 places as the committee may deter
 mine.
 '- Said committee shall have tn
 right at any time to report to tn S. House. in one or more reports, tn
 result of its inquiry, with such recon r. mendations as; it may deem advtsa
 ble.
 The Speaker is hereby empower
 ed to issue subpoenas to witnesses
 upon the request of the chairman o
 the said committee. at any time. in
 Private Frank willis Tanner. -y Prtvafa Jod, rNrarcts Topo1skf