South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-10
Other Editors Than Ours
MORE OF GOODRICH'S SECRETS.
0ndiaua Daily Times.)


The secrecy which surrounds tho disposition of
more than a hundred trucks obtained by the state
Indiana from the federal government ostensibly
for in highway construction, is in line with what
appears be the fixed policy of the Goodrich Hays
Centralized administra ton.
department of the state to which is intrusted
the expenditure millions dollars Of taxpayers
money begins its existence by allowing such lax
methods in caring for relatively few thousands OF
dollars of property that it give accounting
for its stewardship.
The state o Indiana may making a perfectly
legal of the trucks and pleasure turned
over 10 il by the government No Judge s
being made of this property Ostensbly II is being
used lin highway work" yet revealed that
Of the trucks are in the service of an automobile
company. not in highway work. but in factory
ice Investigation then discloses another phase OF
me secrecy that surrounds the administration
The attaches OF the commission were not satisfied
with the of cars delivered to them by the gov
eminent They wanted other cars, specifically. Lex
ington cars No attempt made TO buy automo-
bes in the open market No bids solicited.
public announcement made of the desire need of
the commission for passenger automobiles.
\ trade" surreptitious if not illegal, effected
with chosen manufacturer and thereby either
three two fine touring passed into the
control Of members Of the commission force and
TWO trucks provided by the government for high
way work. passed into the control OF the manufac-
turers OF Lexington cars.
Whether not other trades" have been effect
ed remains matter of conjecture. If in this
why not in others? No accounting for
ceved by the has been made public. No speci-
nc answer a question Of the whereabouts of these
is obtsinable.
The public is asked believe that they are be-
ing properly handled. and the time there
evidence that in case least, they have been
diverted from public private use,
This is wholly in line with the Goodrich Hays
methods of running the state. The public
pected believe that the convcts the penal
working state property. The public found
that a large number OF them working
property of the Globe Mining Co. a in
which Gov Goodrich's a director officer
and stockhoder.
The public expected TO believe that the pur-
chasing board or the state buying coal in the
open market in accordance with the best and low
est bids The public learned that it was proposed
10 buy state institution coal from a company OF
which the governors brother stakeholder
Recently the women Of Indiana invited
believe that Gov Goodrich mas secret" which
would interest them in their fight for suffrage. but
which he could disclose in the presence Of
paper men The women have We. learned what
that secret" is
That there secrets in the Goodrich HAYS ad-
ministration not be doubted That OF them
the wherea bouts and uses Of government loaned
trucks intrusted TO the highwa% commission is APP
parent.
Secrecy might arouse much suspicion in
the minis OF the people OF Indiana II secrecy had
frequently been found cloak such things
the deal by which officers OF the highway com
mission are provided with automobiles OF their
choica