Milford chronicle., 1920-11-19
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
MILLIONS LOST-A LOOK
INTO THE FUTURE


"Gee-they never know when they're
licked" It was Jack talking to his
sister about the football team of his
rival school. "You know, Sis, We
simply wiped up the field with 'em
They didn't make a touchdown"
well, what happened after the
gamer" was Ruth's question
what happened" exclaimed JACK
in a disgusted voice. That's what
fellow gets for trying to talk football
with a girl Haven't you heard? They
90 off the field and say that it was
because we had Duiit VI clever team
with hackers and spent an awful loi
of money. Then they say, look out
next year. we'll get You then That
makes me sick. Didn't they have the
same chance to build up a good team
and couldn't they spend just as much
money as anybody else? But they
won't get us next year either because
we have THE TEAM and woU keep
it that way"
That's mighty interesting" said
Uncle Ted as he put down his paper
and took off his glasses. 1t reminds
me of the election. Sounds Just like
the Democratic excuses for the Re
publican landslide. It's easy to tell
how it happened, but the fact remains
that the voters wanted Republican
President. a Republican Senate ana
House of Representatives and Repub-
lican governors. This is the real
answer. The proof of the pudding
this time is the way the voters went
fhafr UnfGC
Another thing you said, Jack, ap-
plies to the election and what has
been said since. You said that your
rival football team was going to try
to get you next year. The Demo-
Gratis are already starting to lay their
plans for four years from now, when
a President must be elected again.
Since that is the case, it is well that
we do a little thinking and remind
ourselves of few things a Democrat
ic President and administration have
accomplished.
I'VE learn now what we have sus-
pected for a long time-that millions
of dollars have been wasted by the
Shipping Board. according to a report
made by the special House investiga-
ting committee of which Representa-
tive Joseph Walsh, of Massachusetts,,
is chairman. The facts were present.
ed to this committee by two former
employees of the Shipping Board. Not
only does this report show that great
quantities of money have been wasted,
but it is stated some officials and
employees are guilty of graf and cor
ruption. 1t is even said that some
ships were scuttled."
what does that mean?' asked
Rath.
ITO scuttle a ship means to sink
it,"
That's awful" was Jacks COM
ment.
Eyes, it is awful, Jack, and l hope
not true. But we get some idea OF
what went on when we read that from
1917 up to now the Shipping Board |
had almost a quarter of million men !
working for il and spent about So |
50O.OO0,000l There are so many bad |
things said in that report that it |
would take all night to tell them. Just |
a few of the charges mentioned state |
that tremendous overcharges were |
made for repair work and materials, |
that money was loaned on worthless
securities, and that through contracts
being drawn up poorly the government |
lost large sums of money.
zone of the worst things in the
whole report to me is the statement
that many of the firms which held
contracts for the building OF ships
started campaigns in their plants for
the selling of liberty bonds and then
charged in their bills to the Shipping
Board 10 per cent of the money OBJ
tanned as a charge for the sale of the
bonds. 1t is also said that in some
instances the fleet corporations allow
ed these contractors to take money
fro mthe funds appropriated for work,
to buy liberty bonds"
"Who is head of the Shipping Board
now?" asked Jack.
admiral William S. Benson is
chairman now, but he is not mention
ed in any fthese charges. There have
been four chairmen of the board dur
ing the time covered by this report.
but none of them is mentioned. Many
officials are accused in the charges,
though, but their names are not Civ
en-.
"Just think, kiddies, of such things
as these going on in our government
during the time that our boys were
fighting and dying on the battlefields
of France. And then the Democrats
had the nerve to talk of world clubs
and wonderful peace and how they
did such marvellous things to win the
war l guess the whole stor- of the I
graft, waste and extrTragance and
misuse of Office by President Wilson's {
will never be known
We know it was bad enough, and we {
ought to determine now that never ]
again shall we see such a political {
party controlling the government of t
his great republic" I