The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-24
RAPS SEC'Y BAKER
Senator LenEoot Charges War
Head With Breaking Trust.
Would Mean impeachment
Normally, He Declares.
BULLETIN.

washington, June 24-The council
of national defense today was brought
into the congressional probe of war
expenditures.
Activities of the council in .connec-
tion with the letting of war depart
ment contracts necessitated the call
ing of former members of the council
as witnesses, Chairman Graham of the
special house committee announced.
Indications also were that scores of
the. procurement" Officers from the
quartermaster corps would be called.
Washington, June 24.-Charges of
gross breach of trust, which if COM
mitted in normal times would come
very close to leading to impeachment
proceedings" were made against Sec
retary Baker and the war department
today by Senator Lenroef. wisconsin.
Lenroot during debate on the army
bill declared the department commit
ted moral wrong when it obligated
the government to spend several mil
lions of dollars to buy land at Camp
Bennings, near Columbus, Ga. for a
school of arms after the armistice was
signed
Bill Is Dragging.
Debate on the army appropriation
bill continued in the senate today
with the prospect of dragging into an
other night session.
After nearly ten hours considera-
ton, the bill was far from finished,
and many important amendments re-
main to be considered.
Thus far the increases over the
| house bill inserted by the senate COM
mlttee have been sustained on the
floor.
Protra acted debate over striking out
the $4,000 600 appropriation for pur-
chase of the Dayton Wright airp1ane
! factory and 500 acres of land at Day
| ton, Ohio, resulted in keeping the pro-
vision in the bill.
Senator Lenroot. Wisconsin, OBJ
j jected. to the blanket authority granted
to the secretary Of war for purchase OF
/ the land.
! Senator Thomas. Senator : Wads-
I worth and others declared the Dayton
+ Wright plant was the. center of avia
! ton experimental work and It must
| be retained to insure continued prog
r fess.
Without a record vote the. senate
today approved a committee amend
/ ment to the annual army appropria-
/ ton bill authorizing the war depart
ment to proceed with the purchase OF
/ camp sites, negotiations for which are
! pending. ?
/ Denies Cemeteries Uncared For.
! Washington, June 24.-Replying tc
complaints forwarded Senator Cham.
berlain, Oregon. that military ceme-
: leEleS IN france were not properly
, cared for, Secretary Baker wrote the
senator today that the graves regis.
tration service was removing bodies
| from isolated burial grounds to large
cemeteries such as that at Suresnes
near Paris. The secretary said the
cemeteries were being carried for ir
/ every way.
Washington, June 24.-"Startlinf
disclosures of waste and extravaganza
beyond comprehension" in the foreign
expenditures of the war department
are promised by Chairman Roya
johnson of the special house sub-com
mittee to investigate how United States
money was spent in England, France
Italy and Russia.
johnson. who served in the A E. F
as private and then a lieutenant. say
he has information obtained frs
hand. He is planning to probe TIL,
reported burning of huge amount o
new war supplies near Souilly, France
Plans of the war department SCENE,
to be to bury the investigation will
a mass Of statistics" one member o
the committee stated after seeing tn
data submitted by Secretary Bake
, Yesterday