Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-17
Thursday, July II, 1919.
Secret Rule During the War.

the advisory committee of the Coun-
Gil Of National Defense, the secret
government of the United States"
Chairman Graham, to whom the
Congressional committee had dele
gated the task of examining the
minutes of the Council and bringing
to the committee those portions he
considered pertinent to its work,
read a report Of which the second
paragraph was one of the most
startling. l. was:
IAN examination Of these minutes
diseIoses the fact that a commission
Of seven men chosen by the Presi.
dent seem to have devised the entire
system Of purchasing war supplies:
planned a press censorship; designed
a system of food control and selected
Herbert Hoover as its director; de.
termined on a daylight saving
scheme; and-in a word-designed
practically every war measure which
tho Congress subsequently enacted;
and that it did all this behind closed
doors, weeks, and even months, be.
fore the Congress of the United
States declared war on Germany"
In explanation of his findings
Chairman Graham said:
THE minutes furnish evidence of
an amazing disregard of the law.
The Congress created a council of
national defence to be composed of
six. members Of the Cabinet, who
were to be the real executives. They
were to have the assistance in a
purely advisory capacity, of seven
civilians to be chosen by the Presi-
dent without the advice or consent
Of the Senate. The President not
only ignored. but reversed the intent
OF Congress. making the advisory
commission the real executives, cloth
ing them with unprecedented and al
most illimitable powers. These pow
ers they used in such manner as at
times seriously to embarrass the
Cabinet. as is shown by the minutes,
the members Of the Cabinet being
compelled to protest the abuse.
Conceived within the law, but
brought into existence in absolute
violation Of law. it is not surprising
to find that this secret government
of the United States itself per-
sistently ignored and even violated
the law; that it allowed interested
parties to fix the prices of war sup
plies: that it put the people of the
country to incalculable unnecessary
expense and carried things with a
high hand.
In one instance. so far as our
committee has proceeded, one man
repudiated and practically defied this
advisory commission. That man was
Major General George w. Goethals.
who, when our soldier boys were &C.
tually dying Of pneumonia in the
camps because of lack of proper
clothing and blankets as a result Of
the methods and incapacity of this
commission. was called at the
eleventh hour to rescue the War De-
partment from the public obloquy
which was fast settling down on it.
General Goethals, according to his
sworn testimony. assumed the duties
Oh quartermaster general. about the
nrst OF January. 1918. only on condi-
ton that he should have free scope in
the performance of his duties. IN
nampered by the Council of National
De1ence. and he Immediately took
from the members of that council
their power to order purchases and
NIX prices and soon dispensed with
the services of those members of the
Advisory Council who had so de-
plorably bungled the control of sup
plies for the Army.
*Not only did this advisory coun-
Gil embarrass the members of the
cabinet. but they fiagrantly violated
the law. and when their attention was
called to such violations by Judge E.
H. Gary, as is disclosed by their
minutes, they referred the matter to
the Attorney General. who replied
that such violations were matters of
national policy rather than Of legal
consequence.
And finally, the minutes show that
while this Advisory Commission de.
vised and put into operation a
scheme whereby the industries were
able each to deal with the govern
ment as one man. the government. as
General Goethals testified, was at
no time able to deal with the indus
tries through one man and, on the
contrary, throughout the war numer-
Gus federal bureaus were bidding
against each other for the same
supplies. with such increased cost to
the government as was unacceptable
under such a system. Under the
ministrations of the Council Of Ma
tional Defence. big business was
highly organized while the govern
ment remained wholly disorganized
the war and so incapable
of protecting itself against fragrant
proftteering."
Interesting developments are
promised. particularly when the
Of the public in the inter-
ests OF the meat trust are considered
in connection with the preparation
for and promotion Of profteering.
II It any wonder that powerful in
duences are doing their utmost to
destroy every provision for making
war impossible In the future?
Our idea Of much ado about moth