Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-04-12
CREEL CONNIVED
With Babson in Trans
fer Official Bulletin
Charged in Report Joint Congress.
sionaI Printing Committee-court
Proceedings Recommended to Sc
cure Just Compensation for Govt.
All Lies Says creei

All Lies Says Creel
Washington, April 11.-(By the Asso-
ciated Press).-Legal proceedings by the
government against George Creel. for
mer chairman of the committee on pub
lie information; Roger w. Babson of
Wellesle" Hills. Mass, and others con.
cerned in the transfer of the commit
tees war publication, the Official Bull.
letin. to Babson, are recommended in
a report made public today by Senator
'Smoot, Republican, Utah, chairman
and Representative Kiess, Republican,
vice chairman, of the joint COMPRESSION
al printing committee.
The report charges that Babson OBJ.
tanned the Bulletin" in March, 1919. by
secret connivance with Creel and 9th.
ers without the government receiving
cent in compensation" and urges tat
suit be brought to obtain Just COM
pensation" for the government.
Numerous abuses in government pu Ii.
cations, including army and navy and
other war service journals, are charged
in the report. Many of these publica-
tons, 1t says, were used for propagan-
da favorable to the league Of nations,
the liquor interests and officers in
charge. Advertisements. the report as
serts, included get rich quick" oil
speculations and political propaganda
improper in government publications.
Another alleged abuse of government
funds charged by the report was print
ing of 60 ,362 speeches of federal off,
Gals at an expense Of $4i2, 1893 to the.go
eminent. Paper consumed $1,000 pounds.
AS members Of Congress must pay for
copies Of their speeches, the report says
the gross abuse" resulting from he
free printing of other federal officers
speeches should be stopped.
The report says the committee under
its power to supervise government
printing investigated 26S journals, mag
azines and periodicals and discontinued
Ill at a saving of $4,000 annually.
Eight army and navy newspapers and
magazines were suppressed at a saving
of 100000.
Many of the war service publica-
tions, the report declares, were es-
tablished largely for the self-glorifi-
cation of certain interests and to
provide comfortable and safe praces
for a large number of men who
found such occupation more congen-
ial than active service in the front
line trenches"
While conceding that many war
publications were necessary and
helpful during the war, the report
says other cravings for the lime
light undoubtedly were inspired by
the bombastic activities of the
committee on public information
padded by the master publicist
George Greet"
The law giving the printing com
mittee control over ~ government
publications, the report declares.
''nipped in the bud the greatest pro-
paganda' scheme the country has
ever escaped"
There is no doubt" the report
says, that certain clique botH in
and out of the army and navy had
their preparations well advanced to
cover the country with an all en-
lneshing chain of newspapers and
magazines. for the purpose of
spreading and fastening their mill
tary and internationalist doctrine
upon the United States"
Regarding the transfer of the off
cial bulletin to Babson the report
charged that the evident assent of
Creers and Edward r. Rochester.
former editor under Creel," Babson
came into possession of the bulle-
tins name, good will, prestige and
value as going concern, staff and
Continued on Page 4-CoI. ~