The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-04
150 ACCOUNTANTS
 IMPORTED TO
 AUDIT ACCOUNTS

Washington, D. C., Nov. 4-Reports that staff of 150 expert accountants have been imported to this city to audit the Government war accounts have circulated through informed circles about the House and Senate during the past few days. The story is to the effect that these experts have been employed through New York accounting house and that they have been billeted in the National Capital for nearly a week, waiting the word to go to work. It Is not known what particular branch of the War Expenditures Investigating Commit tee has employed them, but 1t is said that the home offices in New York is now somewhat disturbed over whether or not it's men are going to be put to work, as there is report ed to be some hesitancy on the part of whoever brought them here to actually put them on the job.
 Although for political reasons the various Investigating committee have kept their general expenditures trim med to the bone at the mandate of the Republican leaders, still certain features of their activities have called for lavish expenditures. They have gone about the employment of quar- ters and clerks in a most cautious manner, but they have travelled in two continents ard have employed ''ferrets" and "smellers'' at high salaries. It is said that the reason the accountants have not been put to work is that the spotlight has been thrown on this class of expenditures by a series of resolutions introduced in the House last week.
 Two of the various committees l.. branches have travelled to the Pa cific Northwest, to the Central West on several trips and to the South, be- sides innumerable jumps over the en- tire eastern section. The reports of expenditures on these various trips will be made as unpretentious as pos sible in the final accounting, but it is not unlikely that a number of post 1nortem investigations will be made through the War and other depart ments Into the actual cost of these departments by way of supplying witnesses for the various Investigating committees. According to unofficial information furnished by some of the department executives the bill for travel and pay expenses for witnesses called by the committees will equal the amount actually expended by the committees if it does not exceed that sum.
 In addition there is the ''time 1ost'' by federal employees in appearing be- fore and answering the various com rhittees. In one case it cost the War Departmen $500 in time lost" and expenses to answer a single question for one of the committees. While the matter of detailing officers stationed in one section of the country to ap- pear as to make it bothersome to the department, there was one particular instance in which an officer had to make the trip across the continent and back to act as a, witness.
 Another fact that has Influenced the Investigators, it is said, in the re- ported employment of the staff of ac- countants is the limit to which they dare go under their authority. With the Governments already established auditing force operating under and through the Treasury Department and the various special staffs of account ants in all departments, the com