New-York tribune., 1919-06-05
House Expenditures Com
mittee Enlarged to Is, So
as to Provide Three Mem
bers for Each Quest
Democrats Cry sPolitics!'
Republicans Reply They
Merely Want to ''Audit''
$4,000, 100000 Bill

WASHINGTON, June 4-Unanimoup
approval was given by the House to-
day to a resolution increasing tho War
Expenditures Committee to fifteen
members, so that five separate investi-
cations of the disposition of funds by
the War Department may be made The
vote came after two hours debate and
after the Republicans had refused to
permit the Democrats to offer an
amendment to the resolution under
which the committee membership would
have been dvided-nine Republicans
and six Democrats, instead of ten Re-
publicans and five Democrats.
The Republican leaders explained
that inquiries were planned into ex-
penditures for aviation, ordnance,
camps and cantonmcnts, quartermaster
supplies and expenditures in foreign
countries. Each inquiry will be con-
Quoted by a subcommittee composed
of two Republicans and one Democrat.
Promise Nonpartisan Inquiry
The resolution came before the
House to-day from the Rules Commit
tee as special order of business. Dur
ing the debate the Democrats charged
that the Investigations were to be made
by the Republicans Gin search of polit-
ical capital for the 1920 campaign" and
declared they were welcomed by the
Administration. Republican spokesmen,
however, said the Investigations were
to be "nonpartisan" and were designed
solely to inform the country what had
become of the ,000,000,000 appro-
priated for the War Department dur
ing the war.
"This is not to be in the spirit of
making political capital,' said Repre-
sentative Mondell, the Republican
leader "but to provide an audit so as
to inform the people regarding the
great expenditures"
Representative Garrett, Democrat, Of
Tennessee, declared investigating COM
mittces during Democratic control of
Congress were divided politically, five
to four or four to three. and that the
only time in Congressional history that
the majority had two to one repre-
sentation was in the Ballinger- Pinchot
controversy, which, he said, "was
pregnant with sad memories for the
Republicans"
Mr. Garrett referred specifically to
the makeup Of the committees in the
steel, sugar and money trust investiga-
tions conducted during the Democratic
administration. In reply Representa-
tive Campbell, Republican, of Kansas
who was in charge of the resolution,
said:
Each of these Investigations was to
inquire into the industry Of the country
rather than a political or governmental
activity"
Asserts Feline Escaped
"Ah," interjected Representative
Dupre, Democrat, of Louisiana, amid
laughter and jeers from the Democrats,
"the gentleman has let the cat out of
the bag"
Representative Longworth, Republi-
can of Ohio, retortcd that Mr.. Camp
bell was perfectly right when he spoke
OF political or governmental activity,
as they are synonymous under this Ad-
ministration.
The laughter continued on the Demo-
cratic side and Mr. Campbell remarked
he was glad to see that the Demo
Gratis were pleased, but predicted the
proposed inquiries would show "there
has been mingling of political and
governmental activities.'